Animatus
by Vilandra4
Summary: Zombies, escaped from the depths of the Initiative, have invaded Sunnydale. Set in season four, this story features a BuffyFaith pairing. COMPLETED.
1. Prologue: The Deserted Hospital

Animatus

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in relation to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; the show and all of its characters belong to Joss Whedon and company. I'm just borrowing them for a joyride.

Notes: This story is set in season four. As usual, I'm changing the course of events to suit the needs of my story. Thus, I have completely abandoned the Adam plotline. The story doesn't relate to season four so much; I just needed the Initiative to be around. I'm working with a Buffy/Faith pairing around the premise that zombies have invaded Sunnydale; thus, I'm also borrowing ideas from 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead. Hope you enjoy.

Prologue: The Deserted Hospital:

Raymond Eckhardt had only been working for the Initiative for a month. After his rather successful career in the army had ended, he found himself unemployed and completely lost. However, within days, two very mysterious and vague officers had located him and offered him a job with a project called 'the Initiative,' which, as they claimed, fought against the real evil plaguing America. Human wars were trivial things when compared to the war that had been raging since the dawn of time against the forces of darkness. At first, Raymond thought that the officers were playing a practical joke on him. However, they had flown him to Sunnydale, California, a small town several hours outside of Los Angeles, and had shown him an underground complex where demons and every kind of monster were caged and tested.

From the moment Raymond had walked into the facility, he knew that he was home. The idea that monsters were real had freaked him out at first, but he was slowly becoming accustomed to the notion. Though he wanted to fight the monsters with the rest of his comrades, he was still in training. Thus, at four o'clock on a Monday morning, he found himself working the grave yard shift monitoring the security cameras in sublevel three, where the scientists conducted experiments using the DNA of what they called 'hostiles.' Taking a sip of the black sludge congealing in his mug, he grimaced.

"Tastes like shit," he muttered to himself, setting the mug down on the desk at which he sat. Raymond did not understand what the scientists did, or why the government thought that it was just as important to study the hostiles as it was to kill them. He did not believe that monsters belonged in the world, but he knew that the government searched constantly for new ways to improve weapons and the efficiency of its armed forces, and it believed that demons, vampires, werewolves, and all kinds of other abominations held the key to mastering the art of war. He tried not to inquire too deeply into the work of the scientists, as striving to saving innocent people from the unholy abominations of hell was enough to appease his conscience. The government could keep its secret labs and experiments for all that he cared, so long as he could kill some vampires now and again.

Raymond absently shifted his attention from the lukewarm coffee in front of him to the video monitors hanging from the wall in front of his desk. The hallways of the Initiative were dark and silent. Suddenly, one of the monitors turned black. "That's odd," Raymond muttered. Due to the dangerous nature of the hostiles, the Initiative was overly concerned with security. While the town of Sunnydale was occasionally plagued by blackouts, the Initiative never lost power, due to the back-up generators that the technicians maintained at a state of constant alertness. Grabbing his walkie-talkie, he rose from his seat, and walked out of the security room in Corridor B.

"This is Raymond Eckhardt," he spoke into the receiver of the walkie-talkie. "One of the security cameras blacked out in Sector Three. I'm going to see what happened." Static greeted his ears for several long moments until a stiff voice replied.

"Alright," it said, "report back once you've discovered the problem."

"Will do," Raymond answered. Clipping the walkie-talkie onto his belt, he strode through the empty hallways confidently. He had almost completed his training. Soon, he would be assigned to a team, and allowed to join them for patrols at night. He felt like he had finally discovered his purpose in life. The army had been a stepping stone to his real destiny. Finally, he turned a corner, and saw the camera in question positioned in the upper left corner of the ceiling, where Corridors F and G intersected. He slowed to a stop underneath the camera. Looking up at it, he frowned. It had been ripped out of the wall.

"What the hell," he muttered disconcertedly. "Who would have ripped that out…there's no one down here," he said to himself, glancing around. He was about to reach for his walkie-talkie when he heard a shuffling noise behind him. The hairs on his neck stood alert and a foreboding sense of dread washed over him. Shaking the feeling away, he sighed. All of the monsters brought into the Initiative had chips placed in their brains to stop them from hurting humans. He was worrying over nothing. Turning, he saw one of the scientists, who frequently worked on that floor, walking towards him. Exhaling a deep breath of relief, he smiled.

"Doctor, what are you doing here? I thought everyone had gone home," Raymond said amenably. The man did not respond. Raymond frowned again. During his time in the army, he had learned to listen to his gut instincts, which often told him when something bad was wrong. The man walked towards him and a knot twisted up in his stomach. He could not see the scientist's face; the hallways were dark, save for dim emergency lighting that lined the top of the walls, and cast elusive shadows on the floor. "Doctor?" Raymond asked, stepping forward. "Are you okay?"

He thought that he heard the doctor groan. Grabbing his flashlight from his utility belt, he flipped on the beam, and raised it to the doctor's face. "Holy shit," he exclaimed, rushing forward as the man stumbled towards him. The man's face had been ripped open and his white lab coat was covered with dark, red blood. "Hang on, sir. I'll get some help," Raymond said, reaching out to steady the stumbling scientist. Clipping his flashlight back onto his belt, he reached for his walkie-talkie. Looking down, he pushed the talk button, and glanced back up at the scientist. The man was staring at him with a peculiar glint in his eyes.

"What?" Raymond asked in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" A voice crackled through the walkie-talkie. Raymond opened his mouth to respond when the scientist suddenly lunged forward and knocked him to the ground. The walkie-talkie flew out of his hands and skidded down the hallway.

"What are you doing?" Raymond shouted. The man had landed on top of him. "I'm trying to help you!" He tried to push the other man off, but he lay like a dead weight on top of his chest. Suddenly, the scientist lifted his head, and growled. Raymond's blood ran cold. Before he could move, the man had grabbed his arm, and sunk his teeth into his flesh. Raymond screamed in pain, struggling beneath the weight of the other man. "Let me go!" He shouted. With the security guard's arm lodged firmly in his mouth, the scientist ripped his teeth backwards, and tore a chuck a flesh away. The motion caused him to topple off of Raymond, who scrambled away from him. Stumbling down the hallway, Raymond grabbed the walkie-talkie, and lifted it to his lips.

"Somebody help me," he said. "I'm in Corridor G of Sector Three. One of the scientists has gone crazy. He attacked me." Raymond turned and saw the man sitting on the floor behind him, chewing on the mouthful of skin he had bitten off of the security guard's arm. Raymond looked down at his wound and paled. He could see the bone of his arm surrounded by wet, bloody flesh. The crackle of static greeted him through the walkie-talkie. Something was not right; he had just spoken with the man on the other end. He wavered slightly, a wave of dizziness overcoming him from his loss of blood. Sinking to the floor, the struggled to stay conscious, and mumbled into the walkie-talkie despondently, "Is anyone there?"

………………………………………..

The world became a dark place, full of memories and dreams that she could not understand. Things flitted in front of her eyelids; strange images of a life she barely recognized, yet knew had been hers. She watched with horror as she tumbled down into a dark abyss, where nothing made sense to her anymore, everything was in shadow, and everything was evil. She wanted desperately to climb out, to take the hands that were offered to her, but she could not. Something held her back; perhaps it was pride, perhaps it was love. She had always been too proud to accept help from anyone and too afraid to love anything other than the cold of the night, ever since her father had died, and her mother had turned against her. However, she thought that perhaps there was something more to her refusal than simply pride and fear. Maybe she really was evil at heart.

She knew that she was not a good person, but she liked to think that she was a decent person. She had done her share to help the world, though she had never gone above and beyond what her calling had required her to do. Perhaps that was what separated her from Buffy Summers. The name shot like daggers through her heart. In the darkness of her mind, she could feel her heart breaking. Her chest swelled with a strange pain and, for the first time in years, she wanted to cry. Despite the pain, no tears came to her eyes. The inky blackness remained, haunting her and mocking her. Desperate snatches of images flew in front of her eyes. She felt like her mind was dividing into two and the pain was more than she could bear. Suddenly, one image flashed before her and lingered, growing until it was all that she could see – Buffy.

The blonde Slayer was standing on the opposite side of a chain link fence. The burned out shell of car was sitting beside the older girl and Faith could smell smoke. Everywhere around them, fires seemed to be burning. She desperately wanted Buffy to climb over the fence, but the Slayer would not. Instead, she stood sullenly, and reached her hand out towards the dark haired girl. Tears began to cascade down her cheeks. Faith felt her heart breaking; she wanted to dry the other girl's tears, but, somehow, she knew that she could not. Something greater than they was pulling them apart. Faith found herself reaching forward, until she and Buffy's hands were linked through the fence. Buffy began to speak, but the words did not reach Faith's ears. They fell into the silence of her dream. As Faith watched the older girl, she noticed that her dream was oddly devoid of any sound.

She could smell the smoke of the burning car and she could see the fear and love shining in Buffy's eyes, but she could not hear anything. Faith gazed with fascination into Buffy's emerald eyes. At first, she thought that the love she saw shining there was a mistake. But it was starting to grow, until it had erased the fear, and all that Faith could see shining back at her was the deepest of care. Then she heard it. A hungry, wailing cry pierced the air and the fear rushed back into Buffy's eyes. Faith felt, rather than saw, something, or someone, pulling her backwards. Strong hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her from the fence, pulling her away from Buffy. She started running and felt a strange wetness strike her cheeks – she was crying. The wind wiped past her face, drying her tears nearly as soon as they fell, and the last thing she heard was a sudden, desolate gunshot.

Faith's eyes flew open and she blinked rapidly. She was staring up at a white ceiling, but a dark stain was growing across it. It looked red. Taking a deep breath, Faith coughed, choking on the horrid smell that greeted her. Something smelled rotten, like decaying meat. Turning her head, she squinted as the bright light of the afternoon sun struck her eyes; the light was pouring in from the window. Faith quickly noticed, however, that though the room was lit brightly, the only light was that of the sun. The fluorescent lights in the ceiling were dead. She quickly discerned that she was not in her apartment or the motel. Closing her eyes again, Faith tried to remember what had happened. She remembered lying on her bed, listening to music, and reading a comic book. Buffy had kicked open her door. Everything that happened after that was a blur, but she distinctly remembered the cold feeling of metal sliding into her gut, and the rush of air that flew past her as she fell from her balcony.

Faith opened her eyes again, confident that she was in a hospital. If she was lucky, she would heal in time for graduation. Still, though she finally knew where she was, the smell seemed out of place. She had been in hospitals before and they had all smelled the same. They had never smelled like the dumpster behind a butcher shop. Similarly, she could not hear anything. She had expected to hear the sounds of machines beeping and whirring, televisions spewing out afternoon talk shows, and the constant crackle of the hospital's intercom system. But the room was absolutely and devastatingly silent. She felt weak, but nothing physically hurt her. Her lips were chapped and her throat felt raw, but she was able to life herself up onto her elbows. Before she was able to congratulate herself for that victory, however, she saw the source of the rotten smell, and almost vomited over the side of her bed.

A nurse sat in a chair by the foot of her bed, but the woman clearly had been dead for some time. The left side of her face was missing; a cavernous hole gaped where her mouth should have been. Smeared and splattered across the wall behind her was dried blood that had dripped down onto the floor. Chunks of flesh stuck in the blood on the wall. "Jesus," Faith muttered hoarsely, looking away. She felt something urgently tugging at the back of her mind – her Slayer senses. Clearly, something horrible had happened at the hospital. Faith wondered how long she had been unconscious; perhaps the high school's graduation ceremony had already taken place. If so, the carnage that lay before her could have been a result of the Mayor's ascension.

Faith suddenly felt a deep pang of regret strike her heart. Tears blurred in her eyes and she rubbed them away furiously. Somehow, she had always managed to forget what would happen when the Mayor ascended. The Slayer in her had rebelled against her joining him from the first, but she had learned to ignore it. Now, however, as she gazed upon the dead woman sitting before her, she realized how wrong she had been to join the forces she was supposed to fight. Originally, she had joined the Mayor as a way of proving her worth to Buffy. She knew that if she was able to provide the blonde girl with information about the Mayor's plans, she would finally see Faith as being good for something other than the second string Slayer. However, as Buffy pushed her further away, the Mayor accepted her with opened arms. He treated her like she really was something special, unlike Buffy, who had treated her like every guy she had ever been with – something to use and something to throw away when it was all said and done.

Her plan slowly began to dissolve until, one day, she found that she had begun to associate herself with the Mayor, instead of Buffy, in her mind. It was over then and Faith simply shut down any part of her that disagreed with her choice. However, Faith's eyes were finally opened, and she could see fully the consequences of her actions. "I'm not evil," she whispered desperately to herself. Her voice sounded scratchy and raw. "I'm not evil anymore." Slipping her legs over the side of the bed, she shakily rose to her feet. Her hospital gown was itchy and smelled like it had not been changed for weeks. Ripping the tubes out of her body, she took a few hesitant steps forward. When she was confident that she was not going to topple over, she strode forward, stopping a few feet from the nurse.

A gun lay on the ground beside the chair. "Shit," Faith muttered, realizing what had happened. The nurse had apparently shot herself in the mouth. A folded note was taped onto her chest. Faith reached forward with a trembling hand and plucked the note from her shirt. The paper was stiff from the blood that had dried on it. As she unfolded the note, a silver key fell to the floor with a clang. Faith ignored it, for the moment, and read aloud. "If you wake up, I've left this for you. I locked the door from the inside so that they could not get in. The key will open it. There's one bullet left in the gun. I suggest you use it." Faith folded the note and looked down at the gun and the key. She reached down and carefully picked them both up, glancing warily at the gun in her hand.

A steady panic was growing in her heart, causing her chest to tighten, and her breath to come far too quickly. Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths, trying to steady herself. When she opened her eyes, she turned, and looked at the door to her room. She walked over to it slowly and pressed her ear against it. She could hear nothing in the hallway outside, which provided both relief and concern. Whatever had caused the nurse to kill herself was not waiting for her outside of the door. Yet, Faith was beginning to realize that the hospital must have been abandoned, as she could not hear any sounds of life from without. She tightened her grip on the gun as two thoughts ran wildly through her mind – she needed to find a change of clothes and she needed to find out what had happened.


	2. The Walking Dead

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

Faith reached forward with a trembling hand and plucked the note from her shirt. The paper was stiff from the blood that had dried on it. As she unfolded the note, a silver key fell to the floor with a clang. Faith ignored it, for the moment, and read aloud. "If you wake up, I've left this for you. I locked the door from the inside so that they could not get in. The key will open it. There's one bullet left in the gun. I suggest you use it."

Chapter One: The Walking Dead:

Faith jammed the key into the lock on the door. The doorknob shone brightly for a moment as the sunlight shining in from the window fell upon it, sparkling in Faith's eyes like diamonds shimmering in the sea. The sun had traveled in an arc through the sky and rapidly it tumbled down towards the horizon. Faith wondered if leaving the hospital room shortly before sunset was a wise choice, considering the myriad monsters that preferred dark to light and the questionable circumstances existing outside of her door, but she was eager to discover what had occurred to cause the hospital staff to abandon the building and their patients. Furthermore, a dull ache was spreading through her stomach. At first, she dismissed the feeling as a result of the trauma that had caused the scar to form across her abdomen, which she had discovered upon rubbing her belly fitfully as it tightened into an uncomfortable knot. Then she realized that she was starving. She began to wonder how long she had been asleep and how long her body had been forced to subside on fluid meals.

However, she was reluctant to open the door leading to the outside hallway of the hospital. She had the distinct feeling that once she opened that door, the world that she knew would disappear, and a new, horrific world would lay spread before her. Her stomach growled loudly, startling her out of her thoughts. Laughing embarrassedly at herself, she turned the key. She was the Slayer, after all, and fear held no power over her. The door unlocked with a satisfying click. Pulling the key out of the lock, she held it tightly, fearing to lose it in case she might have to lock herself in that room again, should the outside world prove more dangerous at night than she was imaging. She was certain that her imagination was besting her, but the Slayer in her warned her to be cautious.

Gripping the doorknob, she turned it gently. The door opened and, again, Faith was overwhelmed by the utter silence that greeted her. The fluorescent lights were dark in the hallway, but some sunlight filtered in through the windows. Stepping out into the hallway, Faith grimaced as her bare feet slapped down on the cold tile. The sound echoed down the hallway. She hesitated, waiting for a sign that something unnatural had heard her movement, but the hallway remained empty and still. She ventured out further, examining her surroundings closely. Her fears were confirmed as she determined that the hospital, in fact, was deserted. Wheelchairs, carts, and other medical apparatuses littered the hallway, thrown carelessly aside, or left abandoned. Upon further inspection, she noticed that dried blood had been smeared all over the walls and floors at various points in the corridor. However, she did not find any bodies during her walk down the hallway, which disturbed her more than the blood itself.

Finally, she reached a locker room. Pushing open the door, she slipped inside. The room was windowless and nearly pitch black without the aid of sunlight to illuminate it. Faith left the door propped open and allowed her eyes several moments to adjust to the change in light. When she could see well enough, she ventured further into the room. Some of the locker doors were hanging open and the floor in the corner of the room was coated in blood. She remembered when she first had opened her eyes; she had seen a red stain on the ceiling above her. She knew now that the stain was blood. The hospital seemed to be covered in it. Faith moved down the row of lockers until she reached an opened one containing a woman's clothes. The locker contained blue jeans, a white tank top, and a pair of black tennis shoes. The shirt fit Faith perfectly, while the jeans fit more snugly. The shoes were a half size too small, but she jammed her feet into them regardless.

Rooting through the pockets of the jeans, Faith found the previous owner's wallet shoved in the back pocket. She opened it and gazed at the woman's driver's license photograph. The woman had been twenty-six years old, in the prime of her life. Faith sighed, wondering what horrible fate had befallen her. Faith slipped the license in her back pocket, as a reminder of the nature of true evil, and continued searching through the wallet. She found fourteen dollars, which she also shoved into her pockets. Then she placed the wallet into the locker. The woman had also stored a small backpack in the locker, which Faith grabbed, and placed the gun and key into, before shutting the door. She threw the backpack straps around her shoulders, satisfied that she was ready to face the world outside, just as her grumbling stomach reminded her of her need to find sustenance.

Moving out of the locker room, she stepped back out into the hallway. The hospital's cafeteria was located on the first floor. As Faith walked down the corridor towards the staircase, she looked out of the window. She guessed that she was on the third floor, based on the height of the window from the ground. The sun was nearly parallel to her and starting to glow a fierce red. Faith quickened her pace, intrinsically knowing that she had to find food and shelter before sunset. Though the hospital seemed deserted, she did not trust that it would remain so after dark. She did not know for certain, but she believed that she had survived only because of the thoughtfulness of the nurse. The locked door had protected her, when everyone else, or so it seemed to Faith, had been viciously struck down.

She pulled open the door leading to the stairwell, again disheartened to find it quite dark. Fumbling her way towards the stairs, she traced the wall with her hand, carefully picking her way down the steps. Finally, she reached the first floor. She was starting to feel weak. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, a wave of dizziness washed over her. She stopped, gripping the wall and the handrail of the staircase to stop herself from toppling over. When her head cleared, she proceeded more slowly. Though she was a Slayer, and possessed Slayer strength, she did not know how long she had been in the hospital, nor what the extent of her injuries had been. They seemed to be taking a toll on her body, however.

The first floor appeared to be in the same state of desolation as the third floor. A buzz in the back of her mind warned her that though she seemed to be alone, danger was lurking everywhere. She just could not see it. Proceeding through another corridor, she reached the cafeteria. The tables and chairs had been thrown about the room, or else knocked aside, and the stench of old blood filled her nostrils. Under normal circumstances, she would have lost her appetite just from the smell, but she felt like she had not eaten in months. Cautiously, she stepped her way through the maze of discarded tables and chairs, and entered the kitchen. Her inspection of the refrigerators led her to believe that the hospital had indeed been abandoned for quite some time, as the food contained within was in various stages of rotting.

The pantries, however, contained many dry goods that Faith could still consume. After she had eaten her fill, she placed several cans of canned fruits and meats into her backpack. She was ready to find a place to stay for the night. As she walked out of the front doors of the hospital, the sun greeted her warmly. Faith closed her eyes briefly, tilting her face towards it. For a moment, she forgot everything, enjoying the feel of the sun caressing her cheek. Then she opened her eyes and the world was revealed to her once more. Sucking in a breath, Faith surveyed the front of the hospital with dismay. Ambulances and cars had been abandoned on the street, doors left open, and bloody trails tarnished everything. An eerie silence hung over the town like an oppressive weight. Faith strained to listen, hoping to hear anything to indicate that life was continuing on, but she could not even hear the near perpetual sound of traffic.

Faith felt like a mortal blow had been delivered to her. She found herself stumbling backwards with the realization that struck her – it was not just the hospital that had been abandoned, it was the town. Faith felt her legs weaken and she collapsed to the ground. Her knees hit the concrete and she felt the prick of pain nagging at her. Tears flowed freely from her eyes. She had failed. Despite all of the disadvantages that had been thrust upon her at birth, she had been given a destiny – a destiny more important than anything in the world – and she had thrown it away like rubbish. Lifting her hands to her face, she sobbed, for the first time in years. The tears were cathartic, but they were also a painful reminder of what she had really lost. Sunnydale had been destroyed, or so it seemed, along with everyone in it. She had lost everything that she had cared about and she felt completely empty inside, like a gaping hole in her chest was sucking the life from her breath by breath.

Finally, her tears subsided. She wiped the wetness from her cheeks and looked up at the deserted streets with a new sense of determination. She had wandered down the wrong path, but she could see the consequences of her actions. The Mayor had destroyed Sunnydale, but she could stop evil even greater than he, if she would only pick up the mantle of her calling again, and wear it proudly. Rising to her feet, she walked forward, slowly at first, but soon she found herself running. The wind whipped past her, blowing her wild, dark mane out behind her. The sun was rapidly descending in the sky, casting its final display of light before sinking. Her feet found their way to Main Street and she slowed. Her Slayer senses were ringing alarm bells in her mind. She slowed to a stop and surveyed the street. Her heart was pounding. The food had given her strength, but that strength was waning.

A newspaper blowing through the gutter caught her attention. Reaching down, she picked it up. She glanced at the date, closed her eyes, and chuckled to herself. "Eight months," she whispered. "I was out for eight months. I didn't do this." A heavy burden seemed to be lifted from her heart as she realized that the destruction of Sunnydale had not been a result of her actions in helping the Mayor, but of something else. Though she still felt guilty about her fall from the Scooby Gang and her role in the deaths of Alan Finch and the professor, she began to realize that she had not lost everything. The Mayor had not been responsible for the carnage she had witnessed; something else had been responsible. She would find whatever had caused such devastation and she would kill it – that was her destiny.

The silence that had permeated the town was suddenly broken as the sun disappeared from sight. A piercing, hungry whine cut through the air and Faith felt her blood run cold. "What the hell…," she said, turning to look back down the street. Her eyes widened at what she saw. A group of people stood several blocks away. They were stumbling towards her. As Faith looked at them more closely, her stomach turned. They were covered in blood. Several were missing limbs. One man was missing a chunk of his face. Despite their injuries, they continued on, picking up speed when they caught sight of the dark haired girl.

"What happened to you?" Faith shouted at the group, hoping to glean some answers from them, and to help them. Upon hearing her voice, a woman, with her left arm missing from the elbow, wailed. Faith instantly recognized the cry as the one that had so chilled her blood only moments before and she knew that the group was not composed of people who had been mauled by some monster. They were the monsters. "Shit," Faith muttered as they began to run towards her. Suddenly, a crackling bang ripped out through the steadily approaching night. Faith jumped and whirled around, looking for the source of the bang. Looking up, she saw a girl standing on the roof of a nearby sporting goods store. Faith recognized it as the building she and Buffy had broken into to gather weapons the night she had killed Alan Finch. A pang of regret flashed through her, but she shook it off, focusing her attention on the girl, who was now looking down at her. In her hands, she cradled a shotgun.

"Hey, you!" The girl shouted. "Get in here. The front door's open." Faith nodded and rushed forward. The gunshot had momentarily halted the progress of the group of mangled people, but they had regained their sense of purpose, and had begun running towards Faith again. She reached the front door of the sporting goods store and it flew open before her.

"Get in," another female voice called to her. The door slammed shut behind her and someone slid a filing cabinet in front of it.

"What the fuck is going on?" Faith demanded, resting her palms on her knees as she panted. Despite her Slayer stamina, she found that all of the running she had done, and her increased panic, had winded her.

"Faith?" The woman asked, moving closer. Faith looked up, squinting as the beam of the flashlight, which the woman was holding, met her eyes, and felt all of the blood drain from her face.

"Mrs. Summers?" She asked warily. Standing erect again, she slowly raised her hands as if to indicate that she did not mean the older woman any harm.

"I thought you were in a coma," Joyce stated confusedly.

"I woke up," Faith said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

"Everything cool?" The girl from the roof asked as she bounded down the stairs, still holding her shotgun.

"Yeah," Joyce replied, smiling softly. "Everything is fine."

"Good," the girl said. "Let's get back onto the roof then. I don't trust that they can't get in."

"Neither do I," Joyce muttered, glancing back at the door warily.

"What's going on?" Faith asked as Joyce and the younger girl led her up the stairs onto the second floor. A vertical ladder led up to the roof.

"What's your name?" The girl asked.

"Faith," the dark haired Slayer replied, feeling quite out of her element.

"I'm Liz," the girl said, smiling slightly. "There's a lot that you need to know."

"I'm starting to see that," Faith muttered.

"Don't worry," Joyce said, laying a reassuring hand on the Slayer's arm, "everything will make sense soon enough."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Faith asked, following Joyce up the ladder. Once they had all reached the roof, Liz threw a hatch over the opening, to which the ladder led, and nodded over to a couple of lawn chairs sitting a few feet away. They moved to the chairs and sat. Faith, though eager to learn more about what had happened to the town, was relieved to give her sore muscles a rest.

"I always liked you, Faith," Joyce replied earnestly. "You lost your way. It caused a lot of people a lot of grief. I don't think you realized that at the time, though," she said, her eyes growing distant. Then she smiled and snapped back into the present. "Everyone deserves a second chance. Besides," she added, as an afterthought, "the world, as we know it, has ended. There's no sense in holding onto any grudges."

"Which leads me back to my original question," Faith said, "what happened?"

"We don't know really," Liz said lowly. Sighing heavily, she looked up into the sky. The stars were shining brightly. A new moon was rising. "Everything had been normal…well, as normal as things were in this town, if you take my meaning," she said, smirking. Faith laughed.

"I'm following," she stated.

"All I know is what I saw. I woke for school around five thirty in the morning. I got ready, opened the front door of my house and saw complete chaos raging outside. Cars were on fire. People were running around in the streets. Some were covered in blood. No one seemed to know what was happening. Then this man ran out of the house across the street from me. He was crazed," Liz said, shuddering at the memory. "There was something wrong with him. He saw a woman standing in the middle of the street. She was covered in blood and muttering something over and over to herself. He ran straight at her, tackled her, and started biting her…right in the middle of the street. Before I knew what was happening, my dad pulled me out of the doorway, threw me in the car, and drove us here."

"What was he doing to her?" Faith asked. "The man?"

"Eating her," Liz answered solemnly. "He was eating her."

"What about you?" Faith asked, looking over at Joyce. The older woman's eyes glinted in the moonlight.

"I left at five to come to the gallery. I had to do inventory. I wanted to get it done before I opened for the day. Everything was fine then. It's amazing to think how everything changed in so little time," she said, shaking her head. "I had just started doing inventory when I heard strange sounds out front. I walked around and saw something very similar to what Liz just described. Only," she said, hesitating, "I saw a boy, maybe ten years old, ripping into his mother's body. I think she was dead, I don't know."

"Fuck," Faith muttered, unable to comprehend the horror the two women had witnessed.

"Anyway," Joyce continued, "Liz and her father saw me standing in the doorway of the gallery and called to me."

"My father owned this place," Liz said. "He knew that we would be safe here."

"They called me over and I came up to the roof with them. We saw everything happen from here. I think I'd be dead right now if not for them," Joyce finished.

"Where's your father?" Faith asked, looking over at Liz.

"They got him two days after it happened," Liz replied, her voice oddly devoid of emotion. Faith smiled grimly, imaging that the young girl had seen so much horror, she had become desensitized to it.

"How long has this been happening?" Faith questioned.

"Two weeks," Joyce replied.

"So what are they?" Faith continued. The wailing of the group on the ground below grew in intensity. Their cries were soon joined by others, until the entire night was filled with angry and mournful sounds.

"I don't know exactly," Joyce stated. "But that woman that the boy was…eating," she said, "She got up, walked around, and attacked other people a couple of minutes later like nothing had happened."

"What?" Faith asked in surprise.

"Dead people are walking around eating people," Liz summarized. "Or something to that extent," she added, smiling sheepishly.

"Zombies," Faith stated with disbelief.

Joyce nodded. "I suppose they are."

"So is everyone dead then?" Faith asked.

"No," Liz shook her head. "We've seen signs of others. No one goes out at night though. That's when they come out. I don't know where they go during the day, but they don't like the sun."

"Every once in a while, we'll hear something…like someone scurrying between buildings. We had a radio for a while. The batteries stopped working, but we heard someone telling people to go to the Bronze. Apparently, people were holed up there. I don't know if they still are, or if_ they've_ gotten them," Joyce explained, nodding her head towards the edge of the roof, where below, the zombies were gathering.

Faith leaned back in her chair thoughtfully, allowing all of the information that she had been given to settle. Though she still had many questions, one burned through her mind, repeating over and over in an endless loop. Finally, looking up at Joyce, she spoke. "Where's Buffy?"


	3. The Silence in the Night

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming. I can always use the inspiration.

Previously:

"Every once in a while, we'll hear something…like someone scurrying between buildings. We had a radio for a while. The batteries stopped working, but we heard someone telling people to go to the Bronze. Apparently, people were holed up there. I don't know if they still are, or if_ they've_ gotten them," Joyce explained, nodding her head towards the edge of the roof, where below, the zombies were gathering.

Faith leaned back in her chair thoughtfully, allowing all of the information that she had been given to settle. Though she still had many questions, one burned through her mind, repeating over and over in an endless loop. Finally, looking up at Joyce, she spoke. "Where's Buffy?"

Chapter Two: The Silence in the Night:

Joyce sat silently for a long time. At first, Faith thought that the older woman had not heard her question. But after a time, Faith began to realize that Joyce was struggling to remain composed and, perhaps, struggling to find the answer. With the departure of the sun, the sky was beginning to turn dark blue. However, Faith could still see easily her new comrades' faces in the dim of twilight. Joyce looked thoughtful, but disturbed. Liz was watching the two women impassively; perhaps, she was trying to determine what was going on between them. Finally, the Slayer's mother sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to speak of sadness and loss. "I don't know," Joyce said softly. Faith glanced up at her and saw her eyes shimmering the night, filled with unshed tears.

"You don't know?" Faith asked resignedly as Joyce shook her head.

"She went to U.C. Sunnydale, you know," Joyce said proudly.

Faith smiled. "No," she replied, "I didn't know that."

"Oh, that's right," Joyce remembered. "She hadn't made the decision yet when…well," she smiled haltingly, "that's where she decided to go."

"She wasn't living with you anymore," Faith stated, realizing suddenly how Joyce had lost track of her daughter when the zombies had attacked.

"No," Joyce said, shaking her head, "she wasn't. She was living at the dorms. She was there, of course, the morning of the…attack."

"Or invasion," Liz interrupted. "Either way you want to word it."

"I'm still not sure how to describe it," Joyce explained. "It all just seems so unreal. Anyway, I never heard from her. She could still be there, or she could be at the Bronze – any number of places, really," Joyce sighed. "Or she could have been killed by one of _them_. She could _be_ one of _them_."

"No," Faith shook her head. "She's not one of them. And she not dead either."

"How do you know?" Joyce asked hopefully.

"I just know," Faith answered softly. "Buffy and I, we have a…connection. I don't know how to explain it. It's just always there; this humming in the back of my mind. Whenever she's around, it gets louder, like it's trying to tell me something that I don't quite understand. It's there right now. I can feel her and I know that she's alive…somewhere."

Joyce exhaled deeply. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that," she said, wiping away a tear that had escaped from her eye.

"So," Faith said, changing the subject of their conversation, "how long do they go on like that?" Silence fell between the three women as they listened to the moaning and wailing of the zombies stumbling up and down Main Street.

"All night," Liz replied wearily. "They don't stop until an hour or so before sunrise."

"Then they all disappear?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," Liz answered. "I don't where they go. I guess maybe they hide out in the abandoned buildings. I don't know why they don't like the sun though."

"Evil things rarely do," Faith whispered under her breath. Joyce arched her eyebrow and shot Faith a look, apparently having heard her comment, though Liz seemed oblivious.

"And you've both been up here for two weeks?" Faith asked, trying to sort through all of the troubling and unbelievable information crowded in her mind.

"Just about," Joyce nodded.

"What have you been living on?" Faith questioned.

"Beef jerky, bottled water, and crackers," Liz answered, then elaborated upon seeing Faith's confused look. "My dad had some things in his office, not much, mind you, but it's been enough to hold us over."

"We're starting to run out, though," Joyce added.

"I've got some food with me," Faith said, offering them her backpack. "Just a couple of cans of fruit and meat. I found them in the hospital cafeteria."

"You were in the hospital?" Liz asked, accepting the backpack. She removed the cans of food and handed it back to Faith. Then she placed them next to a neat stack of other items sitting between her and Joyce's chairs.

"Yeah," Faith said, looking down at her hands. She could feel the burn of Joyce's eyes on her face, searching for answers to the questions to which she had yet to give words. "I was in a coma."

"For how long?" Liz asked, oblivious to the silent interaction occurring between the two other women.

"Eight months," Faith replied, finally looking up. She met Joyce's eyes, expecting to find recrimination, but finding instead only sorrow and regret. Liz whistled lowly.

"That's a long time. So when you fell asleep, the world was normal, and when you woke up, everything had gone to hell," Liz stated. "That had to be rough."

"It was a little confusing at first," Faith admitted.

"How'd you get into the coma?" Liz asked curiously, wanting to know more about the dark haired girl sitting across from her.

"I fell off of a roof," Faith answered. Though her memory of the night, eight months ago, when Buffy had shown up at her apartment, with the knife that Mayor had given the dark haired girl as a present, was foggy at best, she was starting to put together all of the pieces. She remembered shooting Angel with an arrow tipped in poison. Buffy had been angry with her for that, but Faith remembered her saying something about a cure, of which she had been unaware. The specifics of their conversation, however, were lost to her memory.

"Faith," Joyce started, but the younger girl shook her head.

"Don't," she said forcefully. "It's alright."

"It's not alright," Joyce tried again. "We should have tried harder."

"Tried harder to do what? Stop me? Save me?" Faith asked edgily. Pausing before she lost control of her temper, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Don't you understand?" She asked softly. "I was beyond all of that. You couldn't have helped me if you tried."

"I take it you two already know each other?" Liz asked, glancing back and forth between the two women, who were watching each other tensely. "And I'm assuming that you didn't have too many good times."

"It's complicated," Joyce answered.

"I did some things," Faith said, by way of explanation, "things that I shouldn't have done. Things that I regret," she added, allowing her eyes, once again, to meet the older woman's.

"I believe that," Joyce nodded slowly. "There's something different about you now – something different in your eyes." Faith looked down self-consciously. "You've changed – for the better, I think. You seem…calmer."

"I just understand things better now," Faith explained. Her words reminded her of her resolve to destroy whatever had caused the carnage in Sunnydale. She knew that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to kill all of the zombies. For all that she knew, she, Liz, and Joyce were the only three humans left in town, if not the world. But she had to figure out a plan.

"What're you thinking?" Joyce asked warily, seeing a certain light enter Faith's eyes that had always entered her daughter's eyes when she was thinking about slaying.

"How much ammo do you have?" Faith asked Liz. The younger girl shrugged.

"My dad didn't have a big inventory of guns, just a couple of shotguns and some handguns. All of the ammo he had was on display. He didn't have anything in the back," she answered.

"What about other weapons?" Faith questioned further.

"He had some knives. Some paintball guns. I think he may have even had a couple of crossbows too," she replied.

"Have you tried shooting them?" Faith asked, nodding towards the sound of the groaning zombies surrounding the front of the store.

Liz nodded. "The only place that seems to take them down is the head," she replied, her voice stained with frustration. "You can shoot them in the heart, if you want, but it does no good. I haven't taken down too many of them though."

"Not a good shot?" Faith asked.

Liz chuckled and smiled. "No, I'm great with the gun," she said confidently. "My dad and I used to go hunting all the time. I just don't see the point."

"What do you mean?" Faith questioned confusedly.

"Well, you shoot one, another one takes its place. It's like they never go away. I could sit on this roof all night and shoot as many of them as I had ammunition to shoot, but when I was all spent, they would still be down there," Liz answered despairingly.

"There's too many of them," Faith muttered.

"It's the whole damn town," Liz amended.

"Is it?" Faith asked, looking up at her. "I mean, did this just happen here, or did it happen everywhere?"

"We don't know," Joyce answered. "As soon as it happened, all of the radio stations shut off. As you can see," she said, motioning towards the darkened town, "there's no power either. We have no way of getting any news. It could have happened everywhere, or it could just be us. We don't know."

Faith looked out over the town of Sunnydale from the roof of the sporting goods store. Everything was black. She could now only vaguely see the faces of her comrades in the moonlight, but everything else was lost to her. The sky had turned black. "There's not a single light anywhere," Faith muttered in disbelief, just realizing how dark it was outside.

"Not a single light," Joyce nodded. "Not a single sound, save for them."

Faith shivered as the night closed oppressively around her. She had never been bothered by the dark as a child. Often, she had spent her nights outside, back when she had lived in Boston, to avoid her mother. But night was never really night in the city. The city was always lit up like a blazing fire. However, as she sat, with the inky darkness sprawled out before her, she found herself starting to panic again. She almost wished that Buffy had killed her, or that she had never awoken from her coma. "Are you okay?" Joyce asked, leaning forward, and cautiously touching Faith's knee.

She nearly jumped out of her skin, until she realized that it was Joyce touching her, and not some zombie with a decaying face and a hunger for flesh. "I'm fine," she said, exhaling sharply. "I just hadn't noticed how dark it was before."

"You'll get used to it," Joyce promised. "It seems like it's closing in around you at first," she said, regarding the night, "but, after a while, it becomes a comfort."

"It's better not to be able to see everything going on around you," Liz added.

"I don't know about you girls, but I'm getting tired," Joyce stated, yawning suddenly.

"I'll take the watch," Liz volunteered.

"No, I'll take it," Faith said hastily. "If you don't mind," she added. "I'm not gonna be able to sleep anyway." Liz nodded and handed her the shotgun.

"If anything tries to get up here, shoot it," Liz said. "Shoot first, worry about whether it's really alive later. There's more ammo in the bucket," she added, pointing to a bucket several feet away. Next to the bucket, two sleeping bags were spread. To these, Joyce and Liz stumbled through the dark. Faith watched them for several long moments before she moved her chair closer to the edge of the rooftop and peered down at the street below, which was teeming with zombies.

For a while, Faith sat in silence, her mind resting, and all thoughts evading her. She listened the constant moaning of the zombies, which had initially frightened her, but had become background noise to the nothingness that otherwise permeated the town. The warm air lay thick and heavy upon her. She wondered if the zombies knew that they were above them; if that was why they were pacing up and down the street, waiting for the only three living souls left to make a mistake upon which they could capitalize. She wondered too how many other people were out there, terrified and alone. Liz and Joyce were fortunate enough to have weapons. Faith imagined that most people did not have such luck.

Though her Slayer senses were screaming at her to fight the zombies, or to do anything to try to stop them, she felt nothing else pricking at the back of her mind. Before, whenever she had stepped out into the night in Sunnydale, she could feel vampires everywhere. The town had been crawling with them. Now, however, she could not feel a single vampire, or any other kind of demon. She wondered if the zombies had driven them away; the population had been mostly annihilated by the walking dead, leaving little upon which the vampires and other demons could feed. Despite the endless, circular wandering of her mind, one thought stood out in particular. Zombies did not appear from nowhere; something, or someone, had brought them to Sunnydale.

Perhaps if she could find whoever, or whatever, had brought them, she could find a way to stop them. But she never had been good making plans. Buffy and her friends seemed to know what to do in any situation. Faith, on the other hand, often found herself acting first, and thinking later. Her mode of operation often caused trouble for her, but she had enjoyed the rush of adrenaline that she had gained from walking blind into dangerous situations. Her Watcher had always disapproved of her methods. Kate had been the planner, much like Giles had been for Buffy. The British woman had been far more adept at creating spontaneous strategies, as she and Faith had wandered through some Boston sewer on their way to a nest of vampires with nothing more than a couple of stakes and hope. Faith smiled, remembering how squeamish Kate had been about the rather large rats with red beady eyes that had roamed freely underneath the streets of the city.

Though Faith was eager to explore the streets of Sunnydale during the day, when the zombies apparently disappeared, she knew that she also had the responsibility to protect the two women sleeping several feet away. She could not leave them behind, but she did not know if they would be as eager to leave the safety of the roof as she. Faith needed answers. She wanted to find out if there were other survivors similarly hole up on rooftops or in buildings. But more importantly, she knew that Buffy was alive. She could feel it with every fiber of her being. She desperately wanted to find the blonde Slayer, if only just to see her face again. Faith was not certain how Buffy would react to seeing her again, however. She imagined that the older girl would be quite angry, if not afraid, and would, perhaps, try to harm her. Joyce had been able to see the change in the former rogue Slayer, but Buffy had never been as astute. Though her relationship with Buffy always had been volatile at best, she intrinsically needed to be near the blonde Slayer, though she did not understand why. She felt something when she was around Buffy, some unidentifiable emotion, that caused her heart to beat faster and her mind to turn to mush.

Faith sighed and shifted in her chair. It was going to be an exasperating night, so long as her mind continued to dredge up memories and feelings that she could not reconcile. The shotgun lay heavily in her lap. Though she wanted nothing more than a few moments of peace, her mind was racing with possibilities, plans, and ideas. However, it was also racing with fragments of painful images, regrets, and fears. The moaning of the zombies continued as the night wore on, growing darker and darker. Clouds overtook the moon and blotted out the stars. A chill wind picked up, blowing through Faith's hair, and relieving the heat that had been burdening her. She found herself growing anxious again, with only the sound of the zombies to accompany her. Leaning forward in her chair, she stared out into the pitch black of the night, wondering if she would ever find peace again, wondering if she had ever known peace, or if death would be her only solace.


	4. Leaving the Roof

Animatus

Notes: Thanks ever so much for all of the reviews. Keep them coming!

Previously:

The moaning of the zombies continued as the night wore on, growing darker and darker. Clouds overtook the moon and blotted out the stars. A chill wind picked up, blowing through Faith's hair, and relieving the heat that had been burdening her. She found herself growing anxious again, with only the sound of the zombies to accompany her. Leaning forward in her chair, she stared out into the pitch black of the night, wondering if she would ever find peace again, wondering if she had ever known peace, or if death would be her only solace.

Chapter Three: Leaving the Roof:

The sky steadily began to lighten, turning from black to dark blue. Dark blue changed to light blue and transformed into a pink that spreads across the line of the horizon. Faith watched as the great change happened, as the moment occurred when suddenly the world was safe again for all things good and right. She waited for dawn. As Liz had explained the night before, the zombies began to dissipate about an hour before sunrise. Faith had been dozing in her chair, her Slayer senses alert, but her mind finally succumbing to the exhaustion that had spread over her limbs. Though she had been asleep for eight months, and she wanted nothing more than to savor every conscious moment she experienced, her body was fatigued from the stress that she had placed upon it so soon after waking from her long sleep, and her mind was sapped of all of its strength from the heavy thoughts that had been running circles through it during the night.

Though she had been half-asleep, she had noticed immediately when the groaning and moaning of the zombies had begun to lessen. Silences crept in between their wailings, pauses, like members of the chorus suddenly were being snatched away during the performance. Faith had roused herself and crept closer to the edge of the roof, ever mindful that a misstep could very well mean the end of her life, or the start of a horrifying new one. Gripping the shotgun tightly in her pale hands, she knelt by the ledge separating ground from air, and peered over it. The zombies had been parading up and down Main Street during the night, perhaps searching for food, or perhaps just wandering as their bodies willed. Faith wondered if some spark of human consciousness remained inside of them, directing their footsteps to certain places instead of others. But, maybe the zombies were like vampires in that respect, though they still looked human, they were nothing of the kind.

As the first light of the sun began to creep towards the sky from beneath the edge of the world, the zombies began to scatter. It happened slowly at first, and then with more speed, until those left when the sun cautiously showed its face began to panic and ran up the street wailing painfully. Faith lost sight of them as they rounded a corner and she resisted the impulse to follow them. If she had been alone, she would have leapt from the roof and silently trailed the zombies to learn where it was that they took their shelter. She was not alone; however, and she did not want her new companions to awake and find her missing. Silence once again fell over the town of Sunnydale as the sky turned red like fire and the sun swiftly jumped its last hurdle, riding proudly into the morning sky.

Faith glanced back at her sleeping comrades and sighed. A Slayer was not meant to be burdened with concern for others, more importantly, others about whom she was growing to care deeply. A Slayer was meant to perform her duties without question and without concern for her own well being, in order to ensure the survival of the human race in the face of great danger and darkness. Her deceased Watcher, Kate, had taught her about the importance of being named a Slayer and what that mantle meant in a practical sense. She had not taken any friends, any permanent lovers, or any family. Instead, she had cast all of that aside and taken one name – a name that connected her to nothing. For the proper name of the Slayer was not important, only the name of Slayer mattered. As Faith gazed out over the ruined town of Sunnydale, with smoke rising the distance, and utter desolation marring its features, she realized just how important the Slayer was to everything.

Without the Slayer, Sunnydale would have been no different from any other town in the world, destroyed by the darkness that rose every night when the sun fell. When she had been called, she had felt special, like she truly mattered for once in her life. Even when Kate had informed her that another Slayer lived, despite the creed of the Watcher's Council, Faith had not felt embittered or discouraged. She had been curious about the other Slayer, about her life. That there was another solitary girl stalking the night and fighting monsters about which most people only dreamed was a great comfort to Faith as she carried out her mission alone. However, after Kate had been killed, and she had fled to Sunnydale, she realized that, perhaps, Slayers were not meant to meet. Though Faith held the key to the rest of the Slayer line in her blood, Buffy had lorded her experience over her, reducing her the level of a trainee.

The feeling of destiny and importance that came with being a Slayer had only belonged to Buffy and the blonde girl made sure that Faith recognized that. Faith moved back to her lawn chair and sat, a stoic expression melting onto her face. She had been jealous of Buffy, of her life and her importance. However, now as Faith sat and stared grimly at her bleak surroundings, she realized that being a Slayer was more important than all of her petty jealousies. She had a mission now and she was not going to allow anyone to stand in her way. Her body felt weak, but her spirit was strong. The sun rose higher in the sky, shining brightly in her eyes. She smiled and leaned her head back, allowing the light to warm her face.

"I see we're all still alive," Liz said, rubbing her eyes as she sat up in her sleeping back and stretched.

"For the time being," Faith answered, glancing back at her.

"You want to catch some sleep?" Liz asked, motioning to the sleeping bag as she stood and walked over to where Faith was sitting.

"I'm good," Faith replied as Liz sat next to her.

"Really?" Liz asked in surprise. "What're you….superwoman or something?" She said sarcastically.

Faith smirked. "Yeah, I am," she answered seriously. Liz eyed her suspiciously. "I'm something called a Slayer," Faith explained, seeing the younger girl's expression. "It's my job to fight things like _them_."

"Is that how you got into the coma?" Liz asked. "Fighting things like them?"

Faith smiled sadly. "Not exactly," she answered softly. "The point is, you're safe with me. I don't need to sleep like other people do. I caught a few hours earlier, when the zombies started thinning out."

"And now you're good to go?" Liz asked.

"All day and all night," Faith laughed.

"Just wait until you get to be my age," Joyce said, joining the conversation from where she lay in her sleeping bag. "Slayer or no, you'll need a few naps in between."

"So what's the plan for today?" Faith asked lightly, ignoring the implications of Joyce's comment.

"Well, after our morning jog," Joyce said sarcastically, rising and joining the younger girls in the ring of chairs, "we usually just sit on the roof until sunset, when we sit on the roof some more, but a little less comfortably and a little more fearfully."

"Have you ever left the roof?" Faith asked.

"No," Liz replied.

"Not even to find food? Not for anything?" Faith asked incredulously.

"It's safe up here," Liz said, shrugging. "We had food."

"But you said that you were running out," Faith acknowledged.

"I suppose we didn't want to risk leaving and running into them," Joyce explained. "We're not like you, Faith," she said. "We can't fight them," she added, then paused, looking over at Liz. "Do you know about her yet?" She asked.

"She explained about the Slayer thing," Liz nodded. "I wasn't sure whether to believe her at first, but hell, zombies have taken over the town. I'm a little more flexible now in my belief system."

"But you can fight them," Faith stated. "You have guns. You have weapons."

"What're you suggesting, Faith?" Joyce asked, knowing that there was more to the dark haired Slayer's statements than appeared on the surface.

Faith sat silently for a long time before she looked over at the two women. She could see the fear in their eyes. They did not want to leave the roof. It represented safety to them. But Faith knew that they could not linger on it forever. They would run out of food and they would have to leave the roof to find more. Fear was something that could be overcome. "I'm suggesting that we leave," she said slowly.

"Leave?" Liz asked.

"Leave the roof," Faith elaborated. Silence met her statement. Sighing, she continued. "I know that you're afraid to leave. I understand that, I do. If I wasn't…who I am…I would be afraid too. But you can't stay up here forever. You just can't. And I can't stay up here for much longer. I know it seems pointless to you, but I have to try to fight them, or stop them somehow. I can't just sit here and do nothing while they hunt down everyone left alive and eat them."

"But you don't want to leave us, either," Joyce stated, suddenly realizing the Slayer's dilemma. "You should, but you don't _want_ to."

"I want you both to come with me," Faith said. "I can take care of you. And we have all of the weapons that we need. It may seem like there's an endless number of _them_ wandering around this place, but there's not. They've already killed everyone that they can," Faith explained. "Besides," she added, "I want to find Buffy and the others."

Joyce perked up at the mention of her daughter's name. "Do you think that you can?" She asked.

"I know that I can," Faith said firmly. "I don't know that she'll want to see me, but I think if we work together, we can stop all of this."

"What if it wasn't just Sunnydale?" Liz asked. "What if it happened everywhere? What's the point? Anywhere we go, there'll just be more of them," she said despondently.

"Don't you want to find out?" Faith asked. "Don't you want to know?"

Liz sighed heavily and studied Faith's face for several long moments. "If you think that you can take us somewhere safe, I'll go."

"I can," Faith promised, but she was lying through her teeth. She knew that she could protect the two women to a certain extent, but she could not predict the actions of the zombies, nor could she protect them for very long from a great number of the walking dead. She looked over at Joyce, who was eyeing her curiously.

"So what's the plan then?" Liz asked.

"I think that there are other people alive in town," Faith explained. "I want to try to find them. I think that the best place to start is the college."

"That's where your daughter was?" Liz asked, looking over at Joyce.

The older woman nodded. "That's the last place I know for certain that she was."

"We start there. If we find anyone, we'll take them to the Bronze. You said that you heard on the radio that people were gathering there to hide?" Faith asked.

"We did," Liz nodded.

"We'll go there before sunset regardless of what we find at the school. It'll be our base of operations. It's a perfect place really," Faith commented. "It has plenty of space, few entrances, drinks, and food."

"When do you want to leave?" Joyce asked.

"As soon as possible," Faith replied. She looked up into the sky. The sun was riding higher across the expanse of blue. Every moment that they wasted brought them closer to sunset and the coming of the zombies.

"We should split up the weapons downstairs," Liz planned. "We'll all be armed in case anything happens."

Faith stood, holding the shotgun determinedly. "I'll go check it out, make sure it's safe for us down there."

"We'll be listening for you," Joyce said. Faith nodded and moved over to the hatch leading to the vertical ladder. Swinging it open, she cradled the shotgun underneath her arm and peered into the darkness below. Though her Slayer senses had been humming perpetually in the back of her mind since she awoke from her coma, she did not feel any immediate danger lurking in the shadows. Stepping onto the ladder, she climbed down. The second floor of the store was dark, save for a small stream of sunlight shining in through a curtained window. When her feet hit the floor, she shifted the shotgun back into her arms and turned.

She allowed her eyes several moments to adjust to the darkness. When she could see nearly as well in the dark as she could in the light, she moved forward. She could not hear anything rustling about in the store, but she did not trust the silence, which clung oppressively to everything. She reached the stairs that led to the first floor without incident and slowly descended them. Before she had reached the bottom, however, she noticed something disturbing. The filing cabinet that had been blocking the front door had been pushed roughly to the side and the door was hanging slightly ajar. Faith breathed deeply, trying to control the raging fear that was welling up in her heart. "You're a Slayer," she muttered to herself. "You can do this."

Moving forward, she raised the shotgun, preparing to fire at anything that might move. Glancing around, she did not immediately notice anything out of place. She reached the front door and glanced out, into the sunlight that was warming the streets. Then she closed it. The door shut with a click. The noise itself was almost enough to cover the sound of swiftly approaching bare feet, but Faith's hyper senses caught the soft slapping sound just in time. Wheeling around, she raised the shotgun, but hesitated. A girl was standing in front of her. She looked to be about six years old, with curly blonde hair that fell in ringlets around her face, and bright blue eyes that shimmered in the darkness. Faith could not see any noticeable wound on her to indicate that she had been attacked.

"Hello?" She asked haltingly, hoping for a response from the young girl, but she simply stared at the Slayer with her blinking, wide eyes. "Are you okay?" Faith furthered, stepping forward. Her movement propelled the girl into action. With a loud hiss, she shot forward, her mouth wide, and her blood stained teeth gnashing, hoping to latch onto Faith's flesh. Faith stumbled backwards, caught by surprise, and fell to the ground. The shotgun flew out of her hands and the girl jumped on top of her. Faith pushed back against the girl's chest as she clawed at her and struggled to find a place to bite. Her sharp fingernails swept within centimeters of Faith's face. Pushing backwards with all of her strength, Faith launched the girl into the air. She crashed into a display case, the glass breaking in a cascading waterfall around her.

Faith scrambled to her feet as the little girl did the same. Reaching for her shotgun, Faith wheeled it around, aimed for a split second, and fired. The bullet struck the girl in the forehead and her head exploded like a watermelon. Faith looked away, as pieces of the little girl slapped onto the ground around her, and gagged. She felt the sting of bile rising up in her throat, but she swallowed it down. Closing her eyes momentarily, she waited until her heart had stopped wildly racing before she opened her eyes again. Taking a deep breath, she tucked the shotgun under her arm and completed her search of the first floor. The little girl had been the only zombie to enter the store.

Faith trudged back up the stairs and walked over to the ladder. Peering up, she saw the sun shining down at her, but it looked far away. "You can come down now," she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Her hands were trembling as they lay on the gun tucked underneath her arm. She knew that if she did not keep moving, she would lose her nerve, and they would all spend another night on the roof. Liz and Joyce climbed quickly down the ladder.

"Are you alright?" Liz asked as her feet touched the ground. "We heard a shot."

"I'm five by five," Faith muttered. "There was one downstairs." Joyce visibly blanched upon hearing Faith's words. "It's okay. It's dead now."

"Really dead?" Liz asked.

Faith smiled. "Really dead," she confirmed.

"Okay," Liz exhaled deeply. "Let's go get some weapons." The group filed down the stairs. They filled backpacks with guns and ammunition. Faith gave her shotgun to Joyce, while Liz took the other one that her father had kept in stock. Faith found ammunition to match the gun that she had been keeping in her backpack, which she traded for a larger bag. She was not accustomed to using guns, however, and took a crossbow, loading the remaining space in her bag with arrows. When the trio was outfitted, they all looked at each other. After a tense moment of silence, they started laughing. They looked ridiculous, decked out with arsenals like they were marching into war. Faith knew that they were, but the other two women still hoped to find safety without having to use their weapons. Joyce carried the food in her pack, while Liz carried the flashlight and some blankets in hers. Faith held ammunition, the gun that the nurse had given her, arrows, and knives. However, she hoped that the knives were unnecessary, as she did not want to have to approach a zombie close enough to use one.

"Are we ready?" Faith asked, looking at the other two women. They nodded. Faith smiled. The other women were not Slayers, but they had the courage to be. Faith led the group, walking over to the front door. No one had mentioned the body of the little girl that had been laying in the room with them the entire time that they were packing and, for that, Faith was grateful. Pulling open the door, she peered outside for a moment. Then she stepped out, her feet directing her towards U.C. Sunnydale and the one person in all of the world that she hoped was still alive.


	5. Setbacks

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. They give me inspiration, so keep them coming! In case you're a new reader to my fics, I'll explain my general mode of updating. Typically, I will update Monday through Thursday with at least three chapters during that time (this, of course, depends on the intensity of my schedule). I usually do not update Friday through Sunday, however. Thus, please look for updates during the week, but not on the weekends. Glad you all like it so far.

Previously:

"Are we ready?" Faith asked, looking at the other two women. They nodded. Faith smiled. The other women were not Slayers, but they had the courage to be. Faith led the group, walking over to the front door. No one had mentioned the body of the little girl that had been lying in the room with them the entire time that they were packing and, for that, Faith was grateful. Pulling open the door, she peered outside for a moment. Then she stepped out, her feet directing her towards U.C. Sunnydale and the one person in all of the world that she hoped was still alive.

Chapter Four: Setbacks:

The dull hours of the day pressed on as the trio of survivors trudged across Sunnydale, moving ever closer to the college campus that lingered on the outskirts of town. The sun had reached its high point, and was starting to fall, when Faith announced that they would stop for their third rest. They had just crossed the city limits and stepped onto the road that sprawled and wound itself about for another mile before reaching the entrance of the college, which perched on top of a grassy hill. From the crest of the hill, a person could see the entire campus and the surrounding woods. Faith slid her backpack from her shoulders and allowed it to fall unceremoniously onto the street.

"I'm gonna go on ahead a little," Liz said, walking past the dark haired girl and Joyce, who had also stopped. "I just want to see what's around the bend."

"Be careful," Joyce called after her as she sat on the curb and laid her shotgun carefully down in the grass beside her, still uncomfortable with the notion of carrying the weapon. Faith watched Liz walk for several long moments before she noticed Joyce's eyes burning into her.

"What?" Faith asked irritably, though she had not intended to take such a tone with the older woman.

"That little girl," Joyce said softly, "back in the sporting good store…she was a zombie?"

"No," Faith snapped, "I just shot a little girl in the head for no reason." Dropping her crossbow, she plopped down on the ground. "Of course she was a zombie," she added in a grumble. The day had been maliciously hot with the sun burning down on them harshly from the moment that they set out on their expedition. Under normal circumstances, the heat would not have bothered Faith. But in her weakened state, she could feel it boring into her, dehydrating all of her muscles. Reaching down with both hands, she slowly tried to rub the soreness out of her seizing calf muscles.

"I'm sorry," Joyce apologized. "I didn't mean to suggest that you had…"

"Killed someone?" Faith drawled, glancing sideways over at her. "Been there, done that, remember?"

"I do," Joyce said softly.

"I don't intend to do it again," Faith replied.

"I know," Joyce nodded.

"I'm not going to hurt you, or Liz," Faith continued.

Joyce smiled patiently. "Faith, are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"

"Maybe both," Faith murmured, squinting up into the sun. Their trek had taken longer than Faith had anticipated. Joyce, despite being rather athletic for her age, had been slowing them down. Faith, however, had to admit that she had been a burden to the group as well. Though Joyce had requested their first two breaks, Faith had needed desperately the third. A low, dull ache had been spreading across her skull since they departed and it had grown into an intense throbbing that crashed through her brain like the steady hit of hammer on an impossible to conquer nail.

"You don't have to convince me," Joyce said. "I believe you. But I also know that you weren't as honest with us back on the roof as you could have been."

"What do you mean?" Faith asked in surprise, letting her eyes fall on Joyce, who was far more perceptive than she looked.

"You can try to protect us from them," Joyce answered. "But deep down inside, you know that you won't be able to forever."

Faith smiled sadly and looked down at the ground. "Maybe you're right," she murmured.

"But we had to leave sooner or later," Joyce continued. "Liz and I both know that. We just needed a reason too."

Faith followed the path Liz had been walking with her eyes, relieved to find the girl standing within a short distance from them, surveying the road ahead. "What do you think we'll find there?" Faith asked.

"I don't know," Joyce replied. "You should really eat something," she added concernedly. During their first stop, she and Liz had breakfasted on canned fruit and crackers, but Faith had refused the food that they had offered to her. Joyce knew that Faith was strong and that her Slayer blood would allow her to remain energized and focused despite a lack of sustenance. But she also knew that Faith's body had suffered greatly from the coma. Though Faith would not admit it, she did not possess the endurance that she had possessed before her extended sleep. Joyce could see Faith's fingers trembling slightly as the girl leaned forward and rest her arms on her knees.

Faith looked over at the older woman and sighed. She wanted to save the food for the other two women, who needed it more than she. But she was exhausted. Her legs screamed at her to cease the needless punishment that she was inflicting upon them. "Just a little," Faith acquiesced as Liz began walking back towards them. Joyce nodded and handed the dark haired Slayer a packet of beef jerky.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, hoping that Faith would trust her enough to answer her question honestly.

Faith smiled crookedly, but falsely. "I'm fine," she replied. Joyce sighed imperceptibly.

"No, you're not," Liz stated, as she slowed to a halt in front of them, with Faith sitting in her shadow. "You started weaving back there. Joyce and I thought you were goin' down for a moment."

Faith carefully pulled a piece of the jerky out of the packet and nibbled on it thoughtfully, her stomach uncertain if it wanted to accept the food or reject it. "My head hurts," she finally admitted. "And I'm exhausted."

"You shouldn't even be up," Joyce admonished. "If you would have awoken while there were still doctors around, they would have kept you in the hospital until you had gathered your strength again. You're pushing yourself too hard."

"But there aren't any doctors around," Faith rebutted. "And I don't have the luxury of bed rest," she added. She ate a few more pieces of the jerky in silence and then handed the packet back to Joyce. "We should keep moving," she said, rising to her feet. "We're running out of time."

"Did you see anything around the bend?" Joyce asked, glancing over at Liz. The younger girl shook her head.

"Nothing to be seen," she replied, shrugging. The trio gathered their belongings and began walking again. A light breeze blew through the trees, rustling the leaves, and distracting the group from the overwhelming silence that pressed in around them. Though Faith felt as though she could sleep for another eight months, she focused on placing one foot in front of the other, and so forgot the ache in her head and the exhaustion that clung to her limbs.

She wondered what the group would find when they reached the college. Though Faith could feel Buffy's energy swirling about in her mind, and knew that the blonde Slayer was alive, she wondered in what condition the older girl would be and if it would be possible to rescue her and whoever else was with her. They had made far less progress than she had hoped during the hike. She feared that they would reach the college and have to spend the night there. She anticipated that searching the various academic and dormitory buildings housed on campus would require several more hours than they possessed. Yet, Faith was determined to find her counterpart.

She was also curious to learn how Buffy had been faring against the zombies. Faith had been lucky enough to stumble upon people with guns and ammunition. She doubted, however, that many college students possessed firearms. Though Buffy most likely hid a trunk full of weapons in her dorm room closet, as she had in her closet at her house, Faith doubted if she would have the appropriate kinds of weapons to fight effectively the type of enemy that they had to face. Stakes and holy water would do little against the walking undead. The mile walk to the campus required less time than Faith had expected, much to her relief. She stopped in the middle of the road, which normally would have been busy with cars and buses, but remained eerily still and empty, and looked up at the sign announcing the presence of U.C. Sunnydale just over the hill.

However, as Faith, Joyce, and Liz stood staring up at the grassy entrance, they heard something which caused their blood to run cold and dismay to course through their hearts. A steady moaning seemed to arise from the college. Faith listened to the famished screaming of the zombies and shuddered. To her and the others, it was starting to seem as though coming to the college campus had been a grave mistake. "Wait here," Faith instructed, gripping her crossbow firmly in her hands as she trekked up the hill. Joyce and Liz watched her leave with trepidation, raising their own weapons, and glancing about the road suspiciously.

Faith reached the top of the hill and looked down onto the campus. In the shadows of the buildings, dozens of zombies were pacing back and forth, running into each other, and pounding on the windows. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead, willing the pain away, and hoping that she could form a new and coherent plan. She knew that proceeding further would be a danger to her companions, who were not as accustomed to fighting as she. Had she been alone, she would have easily been able to sneak onto the campus, avoiding the zombies when possible, and searching the buildings without anyone knowing that she had ever set foot into them. Unfortunately, however, the two women waiting for her at the bottom of the hill were not as stealthy. The zombies were surely sense the presence of three women, rather than one.

As Faith looked out over the college, she noticed that she could feel Buffy's energy more strongly than she had been able to during her walk. She knew that the blonde Slayer was hiding in one of the buildings before her. Everything in her being cried out to her to press forward and find the older girl, but she knew that she could not. The horde of zombies lingering below was enough to dissuade her original plan. She could not account for how many more were lurking in the halls and rooms of the buildings themselves. Turning, she started back down the hill. Disappointment and frustration beat into her mind like stormy waves on a desolate beach.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked, sensing the younger girl's aggravation.

"Zombies," Faith muttered. "There's too many of them."

"So what're we going to do?" Liz asked, though she already knew the answer. Faith would not lead them into a den of zombies. They would have to turn around.

"We have to go back," Faith said dejectedly. "But not to the roof. We'll check out the Bronze, see if we can stay there the night."

"What if we can't?" Joyce asked as the trio moved quickly in the opposite direction of the overtaken college campus.

"Then we'll have to go back to the store," Faith replied. "I just don't think it's safe there."

"It sure as hell isn't safe out here," Liz muttered.

"What about Buffy?" Joyce said lowly, walking beside Faith.

"She's there," Faith said, motioning back towards the college. "I know that she is."

"We can't just leave her there," Joyce replied emphatically. Faith smiled crookedly and shifted her crossbow in her hands.

"I'm not planning on leaving her there for long," Faith said.

"So you do have a plan then?" Joyce asked with relief. Faith nodded.

"We'll stay the night at the Bronze. But in the morning, I'm coming back," Faith said determinedly.

"You're coming back here, by yourself?" Joyce questioned. "Is that really a wise choice? What about the zombies?"

"I can avoid them," Faith answered. "They won't know that I'm there. I'm fast and I'm pretty good at breaking into things. Once I find Buffy, I'll bring her back to the Bronze."

"What if she won't go with you?" Joyce asked, sighing deeply.

"You think that she won't trust me? That she'll think I'm still evil?" Faith asked, looking over at Joyce. Though Joyce could see no emotion written on her face, she could see plainly the hurt hiding in the younger Slayer's eyes.

"Buffy doesn't like to choose the difficult path. She likes to choose the easy path, the one that causes her less pain. What happened between the two of you, it hurt her deeply, Faith, you have to understand that. I know that it hurt you too. It will be easier for her to assume that you haven't changed than it will be for her to assume that you have because if she knows that you've changed, she's going to have to forgive you. That's not an easy thing to do," Joyce explained.

Faith did not reply to the older woman's words; she was too deep in thought to formulate any kind of response. She knew that she had caused Buffy a great deal of pain, but she hoped that the older girl could see beyond their differences to recognize that they were both united again against a common enemy. The trio pressed on more quickly now, fearful that they would not reach the Bronze before night fell on Sunnydale. Already, the sun was starting to dip in the sky, reaching down towards the horizon. They walked in silence, choosing to conserve their strength, rather than waste it on idle words. While Joyce and Liz were eagerly awaiting the safety of the Bronze, Faith was eagerly awaiting the next morning, when she could strike out again on her own.

Finally, they reached the street on which the Bronze lay, after a long and rushed trek. The sky had started to redden and Faith guessed that they had only an hour until the sun would set. They were nearly jogging by the time they reached the night club. Though it looked empty from the outside, Faith could feel the energy of the people within pulsing through the walls. "Is there anyone in there?" Liz asked uncertainly.

"There is," Faith affirmed. "I can feel them."

"How do we get in?" Joyce asked. "They might think that we're zombies."

"Have you ever heard the zombies talk?" Faith asked, suddenly remembering her experience with the little girl in the sporting goods store. Though Faith had asked her several questions, she had not responded.

"No," Liz said thoughtfully, "I don't think I have."

"Neither have I," Joyce confirmed.

"I think the answer is pretty simple then," Faith said, smiling over at the two women. "Hey!" She shouted loudly, turning to look back at the Bronze. "Open the doors!" Faith's voice rang clear and true, but silence greeted it.

"Do you really think that's going to work?" Joyce questioned. As soon as the words had left her lips, however, the front door of the Bronze creaked open and a man stuck his head outside.

"Is someone out there?" He asked in a British accent that was quite familiar to Faith and Joyce.

"Mr. Giles?" Joyce asked, rushing over to the door. Giles smiled when he saw the Slayer's mother and pushed the door open further.

"Ah, Joyce," he said, stumbling backwards slightly when she launched herself into him, hugging him tightly. When she finally pulled away, he smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry," she said embarrassedly, her face turning red. "It's just good to see a familiar face."

"That it is," Giles agreed. "Please come in," he added. Joyce and Liz entered the Bronze without hesitation, while Faith lingered behind. "Faith," Giles said, though the dark haired Slayer could not read the emotions behind his words.

"Giles," Faith replied equally as coolly, watching him curiously.

"Are you going to come in? I wouldn't recommend staying out here for the night," Giles said softly, smiling a little when he saw relief flood into Faith's face.

"Of course," Faith said, moving forward. The sun slipped below the horizon as she entered the Bronze, disappointed that her original plan had fallen through, but hopeful that the next day would bring better luck.


	6. Conspiracy Theories

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming!

Previously:

"Are you going to come in? I wouldn't recommend staying out here for the night," Giles said softly, smiling a little when he saw relief flood into Faith's face.

"Of course," Faith said, moving forward. The sun slipped below the horizon as she entered the Bronze, disappointed that her original plan had fallen through, but hopeful that the next day would bring better luck.

Chapter Five: Conspiracy Theories:

Faith had entered the Bronze many times during her life in Sunnydale and never had she seen the place so empty or depressing. The normally hopping night club was dark, save for the light of candles that flickered over the dirty walls and bare stage. Faith had expected to see a crowd of people contained within, but found, to her surprise, that only a dozen people lurked in the shadows of the first floor. An aura of fear surrounded them and, of the people she saw upon first entering the Bronze, only Giles would look her in the eyes. "I'm glad that you're alright," Giles said softly, walking beside her. Joyce and Liz were walking just in front of them.

"Thanks," Faith muttered, glancing around warily. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Giles asked.

"These people," Faith said, motioning to the ghosts flitting through the shadows, "they all seem so…beaten."

Giles smiled grimly. "Please," he said, motioning towards the stairs, "join me on the second level. We can talk more freely there."

"We can't talk freely down here?" Faith asked in a low voice, suddenly aware of the tension Giles was carrying in his shoulders. The same tension blanketed everyone else in the club.

Giles stopped and pulled her closer, whispering to avoid drawing attention to them. "Do you see those three men in the corner? The ones in the military uniforms?"

"Yeah," Faith whispered back confusedly.

"_They're_ the reason why we can't talk freely," Giles explained.

"Who are they?" Faith asked.

"Just follow me up the stairs," Giles instructed. Faith nodded over to Liz and Joyce, who followed quickly behind the older man as the group ascended to the second level of the Bronze. Four more people lingered on the second floor, claiming various sections of the floor as their sleeping spaces. The foursome stepped around them as they walked towards the back corner, where a girl was sitting. Faith vaguely recognized her.

"Who is that?" She questioned Giles, nodding towards the woman.

"Anya," Giles answered.

Faith wracked her brain, trying to remember where she had seen the girl prior to her coma. "The vengeance demon?" She asked as the memory surfaced.

"Ex-vengeance demon," Giles clarified. "But yes, she's the one that tricked Cordelia into making a foolish wish that very nearly destroyed our reality as we knew it."

"And yet _I'm_ the one you kicked out of the club," Faith muttered under her breath. Giles heard her comment, but chose to ignore it. Despite Faith's willingness to help Joyce and her younger companion, Giles knew that Faith still harbored many tumultuous feelings about her relationships with various members of the Scooby Gang.

"Anya," Giles said, introducing her to the new members of the group, "this is Faith and…" he said, pausing as he looked over at Liz, "I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Liz," the teenager answered, smiling amenably.

"I'm Giles," the Watcher stated and then pointed to Anya. "And this is Anya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Liz said.

"It's a pleasure to meet anyone with a pulse and a penchant for cooked food," Anya retorted as her eyes fell on Faith. "Aren't you the evil Slayer?" She asked.

Faith smiled patiently and sighed. "Not anymore," she replied.

"What changed?" Anya asked.

"The world was over when I woke up," Faith answered. "Put things in perspective for me, you could say."

Anya nodded. "Makes sense to me," she said.

"Tell me more about the military guys," Faith turned to Giles as the group collectively sat in a circle around a cluster of candles sitting on the floor. Tiny flames flickered in their faces, casting strange shadows. Faith almost expected someone to start telling a ghost story.

"They work for something called the Initiative," Giles answered.

"What is that?" Joyce asked.

"It's a government funded operation designed to study and destroy supernatural beings," Giles explained. "For instance, they hunt down vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. However, instead of just killing the demon, for instance, like a Slayer would, they capture it and take it back to a facility where they test it and experiment on it. I personally have seen the effects of their experiments. I've seen vampires come out of the Initiative no longer able to hurt human beings without suffering extreme pain due to chips the soldier's have planted in their brains."

"Why am I sensing that all of this isn't a good thing?" Faith asked. Though the idea sounded beneficial, Faith wondered why the government found the need to experiment on demons and vampires. She did not need to learn more about her enemy, she just needed to kill it.

"Because I don't think that it is," Giles said, smiling softly. "The morning of the zombie attack," he explained, "soldiers knocked on my door and told me that I had to be evacuated. The zombies hadn't reached my neighborhood at that time, apparently. I didn't know what was going on until I saw it from the back of a truck as they were transporting me, and several others that are here now, through town. I believe that their plan was to evacuate us from town entirely, but the roads were blocked. They had to leave us here. They left three of the soldiers behind to protect us until they could come back for us."

"When were they supposed to come back?" Liz asked.

"A week ago," Giles answered solemnly.

Faith suddenly realized that he was telling a ghost story. She shivered, partly from the chill that had settled in the Bronze as night fell and sunlight no longer streamed in the windows, and partly from the ghastly images that flashed through her mind of what she thought the morning of the invasion had been like. Though she had not witnessed it herself, her imagination drew her a clear picture. "They never came back," Faith stated.

"No, they did not," Giles affirmed. "We've been waiting ever since. The soldiers," he said, "they know something. They didn't want me to open the door when you called."

"So why did you?" Faith asked.

"I wasn't very well going to leave someone outside to die when night fell," Giles replied.

"You're a better man than they," Anya grumbled.

"What did you mean when you said you thought they knew something?" Joyce asked.

"They know why this happened," Giles said. "It isn't a coincidence that the Initiative soldiers were out in force on the morning of the attack. They were coordinated. They were evacuating people…only something went wrong."

"It spreads too quickly," Faith concluded. "Whatever it is that caused people to turn into zombies in the first place…whether it was a demon or a virus, or God only knows what, it spreads far too quickly to contain."

"She's right," Liz confirmed. "I saw people who were only inflicted with minor wounds turn into zombies within minutes of being bit."

"It would seem then," Giles said, rubbing his stubbly chin thoughtfully, "that whatever causes the transformation is passed through the blood or saliva."

"If there were enough zombies, the soldiers could have held them off for a while, but eventually they would have broken through and started biting people," Faith continued.

"And those people would have turned into zombies, thus causing a complete breakdown in the system," Giles finished.

"We're totally fucked," Faith mumbled.

"Is there anyone else here that we know?" Joyce asked, glancing around the rapidly darkening interior of the nightclub.

"Unfortunately, no," Giles answered.

"Do you know where anyone else is?" Faith asked.

Giles sighed. "I couldn't tell you for certain where Buffy or Willow are."

"What about Xander and Oz?" Faith questioned. Anya stirred, but did not speak.

"Oz was fortunate enough to have left Sunnydale shortly before this happened," Giles explained. "Of course, we don't know how far it's spread. We can only hope that there's a safe place for people somewhere in the world…that this has been contained."

"And Xander?" Joyce asked gravely, though she feared that she already knew what fate had befallen the good natured young man.

"He's dead," Anya said softly. Faith looked over at the former vengeance demon, expecting her to elaborate, but she sat silently for several long moments.

"What happened?" Joyce asked sympathetically. She had always liked Xander. She had been quite happy with Buffy's choice of friends when they moved to Sunnydale. Xander and Willow both had been loyal and kind.

"We were asleep in his room in the basement," Anya said, struggling to keep her voice level. "Someone knocked on the door. Xander got up to see who it was because no one else was answering it," she paused and looked down, forcing her tears to remain checked. "I got up too. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep. The sun was too bright. I followed him up the stairs to get food. Xander opened the door and there was a man standing on the other side. He was one of the neighbors. The lower half of his face was missing," she recalled, shuddering at the memory. "Xander looked back at me and told me to call an ambulance. That was when the man rushed forward and bit him on the neck. He tore a chunk out. There was so much blood. Xander pushed him out of the house and slammed the door."

"Jesus," Faith muttered.

"I ran into the kitchen to get a towel to try to stop the bleeding. When I came back to the foyer, he was lying on the floor. I knew that he was dead. I didn't know what to do. Then he got up," Anya said, her eyes staring at the flickering candles, but seeing something else entirely. "There was something in his eyes," she said distantly. "I don't know what it was, but I knew that it wasn't him anymore. It was something else. He was crazed. As soon as he saw me, he ran at me, snarling. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a pan off of the stove. I just started hitting him with it until he stopped moving," she said, as tears began to trickle silently down her cheeks. "I killed him."

"You didn't kill him," Giles said reassuringly, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You freed him."

"You keep saying that and yet..," she replied, shaking her head.

"Have you seen anyone in your travels?" Giles asked hopefully.

"Not seen, no," Faith answered. "But I know where Buffy is."

"How?" Giles asked in surprise.

"I can feel her," Faith said softly. "It's hard to explain."

"I think I understand," Giles nodded. "You have a connection, as Slayers. There have never been two Slayers alive at the same time before. You share the same consciousness."

"She's at the college," Faith continued. "We tried going there today, but the place is overrun with zombies."

"Is it?" Giles asked thoughtfully.

"What're you thinking?" Anya asked, eyeing him warily.

"Nothing…it's just," he started, "I'm convinced that the Initiative had something to do with all of this, whether it was inadvertent or no. It would make sense that there would be a large number of zombies at the college."

"Why?" Joyce asked.

"What's so special about the college?" Liz added.

"The Initiative is located underneath U.C. Sunnydale," Giles explained. Faith looked over at him with wide eyes.

"You're shittin' me," she said. "There's a secret underground government lab under the college?"

"I only learned about this a short time ago as well," Giles acknowledged. "I was quite surprised myself."

"If the Initiative is responsible," Faith concluded, "the zombies must have come from the lab."

"They could have turned all of the workers and come up through the access tunnels," Giles elaborated, his theory finally coming into fruition. "They would have had thousands of college students to feed on. I can't believe that Buffy is still alive," he said shaking his head.

"She's a survivor," Joyce commented softly.

"I'm going back tomorrow morning," Faith announced. "I have to try to find her."

"I don't know if you can," Giles said. "The soldiers might not let you leave."

Faith smiled. "They'll let me leave," she replied. "I think I can convince them."

"Why do I have a feeling this is going to end violently," Giles muttered.

"It probably is," Liz stated.

"Liz and I are staying behind this time," Joyce added. "We're not meant for fighting zombies."

"I'm going with you," Anya said suddenly, looking at Faith intensely.

"What?" Faith asked. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I don't really care what you think," Anya objected. "I'm going. They killed my Xander. I may not be a vengeance demon anymore, but I can still inflict some vengeance of my own."

"I think you should let her go," Giles agreed.

"Why?" Faith questioned.

"You'll need someone to watch your back," Giles explained. "Anya is efficient with weapons. She's assisted us with many demons since…," he paused, wondering if it was wise to acknowledge Faith's coma and, thereby, acknowledge the events that caused it.

"So she has experience," Faith concluded.

"Remember when I said that Buffy may not react well to seeing you again," Joyce reminded the dark haired Slayer.

"I remember," Faith answered.

"She'll react much better if you're with one of her friends," the older woman concluded. "Anya can vouch for you."

"I will," Anya jumped in. "I can see that you're not the evil Slayer anymore. Evil Slayer would throw us all out for the zombies. She wouldn't care about trying to rescue people."

"Can you handle a gun?" Faith asked.

"I wouldn't want to be the zombie that gets to find out," Anya retorted.

Faith smiled. "Alright," she said. "You can come. But don't slow me down and don't get in the way."

"I won't," Anya promised. "I just want to kill some zombies."

"I think we're on the same page then," Faith said. She did not know the ex-vengeance demon very well, but she was starting to like her. She had attitude. While most people would have been too devastated by such a horrific loss of a loved one to jump into action, Anya was ready to fight.

"When do we leave?" Anya asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Faith replied. "We'll head back to the college and poke around, see what we can find. No matter what we find, we come back here before nightfall."

"We'll need guns, ammunition, food, and water," Anya listed aloud. "There's plenty of food and water here."

"And I have plenty of guns and ammo," Faith added.

"You should get some sleep," Giles recommended. "You're going to have a long day tomorrow."

Without electricity to provide light, and with the darkness of night closing in around them, Faith found herself growing tired. As she glanced around the Bronze, she noticed that most of the other people holed up within were bedding down for the night. The soldiers had taken up guard by the front and back doors, which were blocked with pieces of furniture. The rest of their small group looked tired as well. Grabbing a blanket from one of the packs, Faith placed it on the ground and laid down on it. The candles danced in front of her eyes. She could hear the groaning of the zombies start from outside of the Bronze. Closing her eyes, she willed herself to sleep.


	7. The Second Journey

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!

Previously:

"When do we leave?" Anya asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Faith replied. "We'll head back to the college and poke around, see what we can find. No matter what we find, we come back here before nightfall."

Chapter Six: The Second Journey:

Faith fell into a fitful sleep plagued by strange dreams that hovered on the edge of her consciousness. Always, she could hear the pitiful moaning of the zombies in the blackness of her mind, a constant droning that comforted her in the midst of the blank silence that otherwise pervaded her sleeping thoughts. She dreamed of the night that she and Buffy finally had met in battle. A cold knife slipped into her stomach, but she did not feel any pain, only relief. She thought that it was strange that she would feel relief when facing the end of her days, but her death signified the conclusion of the uncontrollable spiral that her life had become. Buffy stood before her, shock crossing her face, and regret lighting in her eyes.

Faith could taste blood slipping into her mouth. It tasted coppery and it made her feel sick. She remembered that she had said something to Buffy before she fell off of the roof, but the words escaped her. She stumbled backwards and then she was falling. The air parted beneath her and, for a moment, she was free. Then she hit the ground. Even in her dream, she knew that was not right. She had landed on a truck, not pavement. Faith's sleeping eyes looked up into a clear blue sky. The sun was behind her, traveling swiftly to its resting place. She could smell smoke. It was thick and heavy, filling her nostrils with a sickening sweet aroma that vaguely reminded her of winters in Boston in the industrial district.

"You have to get up, you have to keep going," she heard someone say. Leaning up on her elbows, she stared through a chain linked fence at Buffy, who stood on the other side, gripping the metal rungs tightly. Tears were cascading down her face, dripping onto the ground.

"Buffy?" She asked confusedly.

"No," the voice said again. "You have to get up."

"What?" Faith asked.

"Get your ass up, it's morning!" The voice said loudly and firmly. Faith's eyes flashed open and she saw Anya standing over her, bouncing impatiently back and forth on the balls of her feet. "You said that we were leaving in the morning," Anya stated. "Well, it's morning. Let's leave."

Faith groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Alright," she muttered, disgruntled. "I'm getting up."

"Why did you call me Buffy anyway?" Anya grumbled. "I don't sound anything like her. Nor do I look anything like her, thank you very much. I actually know how to dye my hair," she mumbled as she walked away.

Faith watched her for several long moments with confusion written across her face until Joyce spoke. "When she was trying to get you up, you called her Buffy," she clarified.

"I was dreaming," Faith said, pulling herself up into a sitting position.

"What were you dreaming about?" Joyce asked.

Faith remembered the knife sliding into her belly. She remembered the look in Buffy's eyes – regret. She also remembered smelling smoke and seeing the blonde Slayer crying as she stood on the other side of a chain linked fence. But she did not know what any of it meant. "I don't remember," Faith lied as she rose to her feet.

"Are you sure?" Joyce pressed. "Buffy told me that sometimes her dreams were important. Slayer dreams, she called them. She said that she could see the future through her dreams."

"I wasn't seeing the future," Faith said irritably. "Only the past."

"Oh," Joyce said, closing her lips tightly and nodding. "I see."

Faith sighed and ran a hand through her hair, which desperately needed to be washed. "She did what she had to do. Don't feel guilty for her."

"There had to have been another way," Joyce offered.

"Not for me," Faith murmured. "What is she doing?" She asked, nodding towards Anya.

Joyce smiled kindly. "She's been packing ever since dawn. She really wants to get out there."

Anya shoved several boxes of ammunition into her pack and smiled with satisfaction, wiping her hands together. "All done," she stated. "I've packed enough food for us for two days, just in case. Water for the same. We both have guns, knives, and ammunition. Are you planning to take the crossbow?" She asked Faith.

The dark haired Slayer shook her head. "I thought I'd leave that here," she said, looking over at Giles. "In case you have any trouble." Anya handed her one of the shotguns, while she took the other.

"Thank you," Giles said, "I'd much prefer the crossbow to a gun."

"That's what I thought," Faith stated.

"So are you ready or what?" Anya pressed. "Daylight's wasting."

"Why are you so eager to get out there?" Faith asked.

"I told you," Anya replied, "I want to kill zombies."

"This isn't just about killing zombies," Faith reinforced. "Yes, there will be the killing of zombies; I don't think that can be helped. But we're trying to find Buffy. We don't want to piss off every zombie at the college and make it impossible for us to get anywhere."

"I understand that," Anya nodded. "But if we happen to find some in a dark hallway where none of the others will hear, I'm gonna shoot them."

"I don't think that you can talk her out of this," Giles muttered.

"I don't think I can either," Faith agreed.

"Here," Joyce said, handing Faith a prepackaged sandwich, ones of the trendy kinds that had previously been sold at the Bronze for more money than Faith had ever possessed. Faith accepted it gratefully. Though she had been uncertain of her stance on food the day before, she was quite hungry. Her stomach growled loudly as she took a bite of the sandwich.

"Apparently, there's a whole bunch of those in the back store room," Liz said.

"I'm surprised it kept this long without refrigeration," Faith spoke in between bites.

"I'm not," Giles grumbled. "You can make anything last forever if you genetically modify it enough."

"Purist," Faith murmured jokingly. Giles smiled softly.

"I just like to know that something was real at one time before I eat it," he replied.

"Oh, it was real," Liz offered. "_At one time_," she added with a smirk.

Faith quickly polished off her sandwich and wiped her hands on her jeans. "You ready?" She asked, looking over at Anya. Anya rolled her eyes.

"I've been ready since the sun came up," she answered, handing the Slayer her backpack. "By the way," she asked, "why do you have a gun in there with only one bullet? Isn't that kind of a waste?"

Faith took the pack and slung it around her shoulders. "Don't ask me about that," she said, moving past the ex-vengeance demon.

"Why not?" Anya questioned, shouldering her pack as well, as she followed after Faith.

"Faith!" Joyce called. The dark haired Slayer stopped and turned.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Be careful," Joyce said. "You know that I want you to bring Buffy back, but don't get yourself killed trying to be a hero."

"I'm not a hero," Faith replied darkly.

"Good," Joyce stated.

"Be back here before nightfall," Giles added.

"We don't want you guys stuck out there with _them_," Liz emphasized.

"We'll see you all soon," Faith said. She turned and descended the stairs with Anya at her heels.

"Why can't I ask you about the gun?" She asked again.

"I'm not going to use that gun," Faith replied. "Not now, not ever. Just leave it alone."

"But where did you get it?" Anya pressed.

"At the hospital," Faith sighed.

"Really?" Anya questioned.

"Yes, really," Faith affirmed. "A nurse had it. She shot herself in the head with it and left one bullet for me in case I woke up."

"Oh," Anya muttered. "I get it. Bad memories."

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice boomed out as the two women crossed the floor towards the door.

Faith and Anya stopped, both looking over at each other warily. One of the soldiers stepped forward with his gun lying lazily in his hands. The two girls held their shotguns firmly, prepared to fight if need be in order to leave. "We're gonna take a walk," Faith answered flippantly.

The soldier eyed her cautiously for several long moments. "I don't think so," he finally said.

"I thoughts soldiers weren't supposed to think," Faith quipped.

"We were given orders to stay here," the man replied impatiently. "So we're staying here."

"You can stay here all you want," Faith answered, grabbing Anya by the elbow and pulling her towards the door. "But _we're_ leaving."

Faith heard the distinct click of the man pulling back the hammer of his gun. Rearranging it in his hands, he pointed it at the dark haired Slayer. Faith sighed and turned again. Anya stood beside her, watching the scene apathetically. "You gonna shoot me?"

"Opening that door could pose a risk to us all," the soldier argued.

"It's daylight," Faith reasoned.

"Why does that matter?" The man asked.

"They don't come out during the day," Faith replied.

"They did on the day of the attack," the man stated. "And you're not opening that door."

Faith was about to respond when she heard Anya sigh impatiently. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the ex-vengeance demon lift her shotgun, point it in the air, and pull the trigger. A loud bang resounded throughout the Bronze. All eyes turned to face them, wondering what would happen. Faith glanced sharply over at Anya. "Now that I've gotten your attention," the ex-vengeance demon said calmly, "I want to get some things straightened out. Firstly, we _are_ walking out of that door. You can try to stop us all you want, but I'm telling you right now, I have no problem shooting anyone in this damn place, with few exceptions," she said, pausing as she allowed her eyes to fall on the faces of the soldiers, who had stepped forward with their guns leveled. "I'm a loose fucking cannon and you don't want to mess with me. We're leaving and when we come back, you're gonna open that door, or I'm gonna blow someone's head off. Are we clear?" She asked.

Silence fell in the room. Faith looked up to see Giles watching them from the balcony with a smirk on his face. At first, she had wondered why Giles had supported Anya's decision to go with Faith to the college. She had doubted that Anya would be useful in any respect. Now, however, as she watched three trained and deadly soldiers glance nervously back and forth at each other, while slowly lowering their weapons, she knew that he had been right. "You're fierce, you know that?" Faith whispered over to her.

"I know," Anya said, smiling smugly.

"Alright," one of the soldiers finally said. "But you better not bring any of those things back with you."

"Not part of the plan," Faith muttered as she and Anya walked towards the door. Taking a deep breath, Faith pulled it open. The streets outside were silent. She could not feel the presence of anything supernatural lurking in the shadows, though she no longer trusted her instincts. Her Slayer senses had not warned her of the little, zombie girl that had been hiding in the sporting goods store. She and Anya walked out onto the street and let the door clang shut behind them. It rang of doom. Silence settled around them and they were completely alone.

"It's okay to be scared, right?" Anya asked, glancing around warily.

"More than okay," Faith answered.

"Are you scared?" She asked, looking over at Faith as they began walking.

"Yes," Faith admitted.

Anya smiled slightly. "From what I heard, big, bad Faith would never admit to being afraid."

"I'm not big, bad Faith anymore," the dark haired girl replied. "I'm just Faith."

"No offense," Anya said, "but we might need big, bad Faith when shit hits the fan."

Faith smirked. "If you're afraid that I'm gonna punk out on you, you really don't know me all that well."

"Xander mentioned you a couple of times," Anya said softly as they walked.

Faith tensed. She knew that she had hurt him deeply the night she took his virginity so carelessly. Though she knew that it was wrong looking back on it, she had not understood why he had been upset at the time. Most of the men that she had been with in a sexual way had treated her the same as she had treated Xander. They never felt remorse for their actions. She quickly learned not to feel guilty either. It had seemed to her as though everyone in the world used each other to get what they wanted, despite the cost. She was starting to see things differently. "Did he?" She asked quietly.

"He said some bad things," Anya admitted. "But he said some good things too. I don't think he blamed you completely."

"No?" Faith questioned.

"Like they say," Anya replied, "time heals all wounds. I think when he looked back on everything, he knew that it wasn't just you that had made some mistakes. Everyone did."

"Why are you telling me this?" Faith asked.

"I know a thing or two about vengeance," Anya smirked. "What you did, it was all about vengeance, and I know that you feel guilty after a while for all of the things that you've done."

"Did you?" Faith asked.

"Of course," Anya said. "You can't maim and torture people for hundreds of years without starting to feel bad about it. But the thing I also know, that most people don't want to recognize, is that there's always something, or someone, that drives a person to want to commit an act of vengeance. You don't get there without a catalyst."

"I guess not," Faith admitted.

"What was yours?" Anya asked.

Faith thought for several long moments, mulling over the other girl's question in her mind. The sun still sat low on the horizon and the duo was making better time than the group had of the day before. Already, they were passing through the center of town, towards the city limits. "Buffy," Faith said softly.

"It always starts with someone that you love," Anya nodded.

Faith glanced over at her sharply. "I don't love Buffy," she denied.

"Yes, you do," Anya furthered.

"No," Faith shook her head, "I really don't."

"Really?" Anya demanded. "So you killed two people and turned evil all over someone you didn't really have any warm and fuzzy feelings for? All for someone you just liked a little bit in a strictly platonic way?"

"Why am I even talking about this with you?" Faith asked, though she did not expect Anya to answer. She was starting to figure out, however, that Anya answered everything.

"Because we have a long walk ahead of us and there's nothing else to do but talk until we find some zombies to kill," Anya replied simply.

Faith glared over at her, but smiled. "I'm not admitting to anything," she said.

"You don't have to," Anya replied happily, "I know the truth. I'm very perceptive."

"Are you?" Faith asked, laughing.

"What's so funny?" Anya demanded.

"Nothing," Faith said, shaking her head.

"So what scares you more than zombies?" Anya asked.

Faith thought for a moment. "Love," she answered.

"Going existential with the question," Anya smiled. "But that makes sense. After all, you won't admit to loving Buffy, even though you do. You turned evil because you loved Buffy, and she wouldn't give you the time of day, even though you won't admit to any of that either."

"What's your point?" Faith interrupted.

"It just makes sense," Anya shrugged.

"Fine," Faith replied. "What are you more afraid of than zombies?"

"Bunnies," Anya said immediately. Faith looked over at her in surprise.

"What?" She asked, thinking that she had not heard the other girl correctly.

"Bunnies," Anya repeated.

"You're afraid of bunnies?" Faith asked, laughing heartily.

"Yes," Anya insisted. "They're very creepy. Twitchy, little noses," she muttered and shuddered.

"Well, don't worry," Faith said. "I don't think we're gonna run into any zombie bunnies."

Anya glared over at her, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Now you've done it," she said. "The college is gonna be full of them."

Faith sighed. Though the college was not full of her imaginary zombie bunnies, it was full of the normal kind of zombies, which were dangerous enough. The girls continued on in silence, walking for an hour before they reached the city limits. The mile of road leading to the college stretched out before them. They paused, ate some food, and continued. Faith felt much better that day than she had the day before. The effects of her prolonged sleep seemed to be wearing off; her head no longer pained her and her body felt rested and rejuvenated. Her Slayer strength was starting to have a positive effect.

They walked the road leading to the campus quietly, slowly becoming aware that the claustrophobic silence surrounding them was being broken by desolate, hungry wails. They reached the top of the hill and looked down. Anya drew in a sharp breath. "That's a lot of zombies," she stated.

Faith nodded. She could feel Buffy's energy again, pulsing like a beacon of light in the dark. It was close. "She's here," Faith said softly.

"Do you know where?" Anya asked.

"No," Faith shook her head. "But we're gonna find her."


	8. Trust

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. I noticed a general point come up among them: you guys thought Anya's reasoning for why Faith went nuts was a bit trivial. Let me try to defend myself on that point. Yes, there was a whole lot going on that made Faith turn – jealousy being the primary motivation. I think most of you would agree with me on that. But jealousy is always rooted by a desire for something. That desire can sometimes be translated as love. Love makes you do crazy things, like kill people. Yes, it is simple. No, it's not the whole truth. That interaction was just my way of having another character try to explore Faith. They all have different ideas for why she turned evil; I just wanted to voice some of those opinions. Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that, so if you have a counterpoint, please share it with me.

Previously:

They walked the road leading to the campus quietly, slowly becoming aware that the claustrophobic silence surrounding them was being broken by desolate, hungry wails. They reached the top of the hill and looked down. Anya drew in a sharp breath. "That's a lot of zombies," she stated.

Faith nodded. She could feel Buffy's energy again, pulsing like a beacon of light in the dark. It was close. "She's here," Faith said softly.

"Do you know where?" Anya asked.

"No," Faith shook her head. "But we're gonna find her."

Chapter Seven: Trust:

"How do propose we do that?" Anya asked, surveying the campus with dismay."I'm still working on that part," Faith murmured.

"Wait," Anya said, looking over at her sharply. "You don't actually have a plan?"

"I'm not so good with making plans," Faith answered defensively. "I just do things and hope they work out well."

"I wish you would have told me that before I insisted on coming," Anya muttered. "So we need a plan."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "We do."

"If I were a vampire slayin' survivor of a massive zombie attack," Anya reasoned, "where would I go?"

"The cafeteria?" Faith suggested.

"No," Anya said, pointing to a building in the center of the campus. "See that one? That's the cafeteria."'

"Too many windows," Faith nodded.

"The zombies would see them and break in," Anya concluded. "What about the gym?"

"Which building is that?" Faith asked.

"That one," Anya said, pointing to a building on the far left of the campus.

"Where are the dorms?" Faith questioned.

"There," Anya said, pointing to a cluster of buildings on the far right.

"It's too far," Faith dismissed. "All of the students were probably asleep, or at least just waking up, when things went down."

"If Giles is right, anyway," Anya said, "the zombies came from here. They were probably caught off guard."

"No one would have had a chance to escape," Faith finished. "They could have moved sometime during the two weeks after."

"I don't know," Anya shook her head, "I'm not sure even Buffy could convince anyone to trek across a campus full of zombies."

"So we'll check the dorms first," Faith nodded. "That sounds like a plan to me."

"Vaguely," Anya agreed. "There's still the matter of how we're gonna get down the hill without all of _them_ noticing _us_," she said, motioning towards the collective assemblage of zombies wandering around the campus below them.

Faith smiled grimly. "Any suggestions for that?"

"Oh!" Anya said excitedly. "I got one."

"What?" Faith asked warily.

"We could pretend to be zombies," she replied enthusiastically.

Faith chuckled and shook her head. "You think that would work, huh?" She asked jokingly.

"Here, look at this," Anya said, laying down her shotgun. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed. A blank look came over her face and she stumbled towards Faith, moaning like a deranged monkey. Faith burst out laughing.

"Somehow I don't think that will work," she replied, once she could speak again. Anya rolled her eyes, picking up her shotgun again.

"You underestimate the power of my zombie impression," Anya replied seriously, though she smiled widely.

"Come on," Faith said as she slowly began to descend the hill. "See the building closest to us?" She asked. Anya nodded as she followed. "I don't see any of them around it. Let's start there."

The two women cautiously pressed forward, edging towards the shadow of the dormitory to which they were headed. Several trees stood between them and the building. To these, they furtively pushed. The zombies had not noticed them thus far. Faith breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. "Are you okay?" Anya whispered over to her, as they ducked behind a bench. Faith peered over the edge, watching the oblivious zombies closely.

"Five by five," Faith replied shakily, gripping her shotgun tightly.

"You're not panicking are you?" Anya questioned as they began to move again, creeping across the ground.

"Maybe a little," Faith admitted. Only several yards remained between them and the building. Faith glanced over at the nearest zombies, which were stumbling about unaware of their presence.

"What?" Anya asked sharply. "You're not supposed to tell me that."

"You asked," Faith said emphatically, as they ducked behind a tree.

"You're a _Slayer_," Anya insisted. "I'm supposed to be the one panicking, not you." Anya peered over at the zombies. "We're good," she said and they moved again.

"You're not panicking?" Faith asked. The shadow of the building loomed before them.

"No," Anya said honestly. "I just want to kill things."

Faith sighed as they slipped around the back of the building. Resting her back against the wall, she momentarily closed her eyes. "We're so gonna die," she muttered.

"Way to see the glass hall full," Anya replied, poking the dark haired Slayer in the ribs with her elbow as she smiled slightly.

Despite herself, the corners of Faith's lips curled up. "Let's go kill things," she said.

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Anya nodded enthusiastically. The Slayer in Faith was starting to supersede her fears. Stopping by a window, she peered inside. She could not see anyone, or anything, moving about inside of the room. Breaking the glass with the butt of her gun, she cleared the window. "You first," Anya said.

Faith tossed the gun into the room and crawled through the window. Landing on the floor, she quickly grabbed her gun, and leveled it. Glancing around the room rapidly, she sighed with relief. "It's clear," she said as Anya toppled through the window behind her.

"Can you feel Buffy here?" Anya asked, as she stood and wiped off her jeans.

"Generally, I can feel her anywhere," Faith answered. "But not particularly strong here, no."

"Maybe we'll find someone else," Anya offered as they moved towards the door. Faith pulled it open and glanced up and down the hallway. She saw one zombie moving away from them down the corridor.

"You want it?" Faith asked, glancing back at Anya. Anya nodded emphatically and stepped forward into the hallway, leveling her shotgun. Clicking back the hammer, she breathed deeply, and pulled the trigger. The dead emergency light several feet in front of the zombie burst in a shatter of glass.

"Good shot," Faith noted sarcastically.

"Let me try again," Anya insisted, as she leveled her gun again.

"I thought Giles said that you were good with weapons," Faith murmured.

"I'm not really sure what he was talking about," Anya admitted. "You know, rose colored glasses and all that." The zombie turned, alerted by the gunshot, and stumbled towards them. Anya pulled the trigger, squealing happily when the zombie's head burst in a cloud of flesh and bone.

"Damn, girl," Faith muttered.

"You like that," she joked, "you should see me with a frying pan."

"I don't doubt it," Faith replied as they moved forward. They walked down the hallway until they reached the stairs. "She's not here," she murmured definitively.

"Is there anyone here?" Anya called down the corridor. Silence greeted her.

"Do you want to check this building?" Faith asked.

"No," Anya shook her head. "Let's find Buffy and get out of here."

They hurried down the stairs until they reached the exit. Faith peered through the foggy glass of the window. "I see three," she noted. Opening the door, she and Anya slipped outside. She eased the door closed until she heard a soft click. The zombies were across a street from them.

"Move," Anya instructed quietly. Quickly crossing the street, they slipped beside a monument dedicated to the founder of the college, which was topped with a statue in his likeness.

"Have they seen us?" Faith questioned.

"Yeah," Anya acknowledged, glancing around the large monument. The zombies were heading towards them. Faith stepped out from behind the bronze statue and aimed her shotgun. Pulling the trigger three quick times, she smiled with satisfaction as the zombies fell.

"Come on," she said, glancing back at Anya. The ex-vengeance demon hurried behind her as Faith shouldered open one of the emergence exit doors of the next dormitory building. They slipped inside and let the door click closed behind them. Almost instantly, Faith was assaulted by the overwhelming presence of the other Slayer. "She's here," she confirmed.

"Well," Anya noted, "she's not alone." The other girl nodded towards the staircase sprawling in front of them. At least a dozen zombies were staring at them, littering the stairs.

"Oh, shit," Faith uttered

"How much do you really want to find Buffy?" Anya muttered softly. Faith steeled her resolve and glanced over at Anya.

"Remember what they did to Xander?" She asked. Anya smiled grimly and nodded.

"I do," she replied.

"Let's kill some zombies," Faith said. Looking back at the zombies, the two women raised their guns and began firing. "Cover me," Faith shouted over the sound of the gunshots, as she slung her pack off of her back and grabbed a box of ammunition. Reloading her gun, she nodded over at Anya and began shooting again, while Anya grabbed her own ammunition. The zombies rushed down the stairs towards them, but the torrent of bullets never ceased. Finally, when the smoke cleared, and the final echoes of the gunshots faded, Faith and Anya stood alone in the bottom of the stairwell, with over a dozen bodies littering the stairs in front of them. To their right, the door to the first floor of rooms stood.

"Damn," Anya murmured. "We kicked ass."

"We _totally_ kicked ass," Faith agreed. "What floor did Buffy live on?" She asked.

"Second," Anya replied breathlessly. They both quickly reloaded their guns and then picked their way through the bodies as they ascended the stairs. They had just reached the landing of the second floor when the door flew open in front of them and a soldier stepped out. Both girls quickly raised their guns.

"Hey, it's okay," the soldier replied, throwing his hands up defensively. He held a handgun in one of his hands and a flashlight in the other. Faith sighed when she heard him speak, lowering her weapon.

"You almost bought it," she said.

"Riley?" Anya questioned, as she lowered her shotgun. The soldier smiled.

"Anya," he stated happily. "It's good to see you." Faith looked back and forth between the two.

"You guys know each other?" She asked.

"Riley is Buffy's boyfriend," Anya noted. Faith felt her heart tighten, but she nodded.

"We're looking for Buffy," Faith said. "You know where she is?"

"Yeah," Riley said. "We're holed up in a room down the hall."

"Do you have anyone else with you?" Anya asked.

"Willow and Tara," Riley answered.

"Tara?" Anya questioned. "Who is that?"

Riley smiled. "Willow's girlfriend," he replied.

"Willow has a girlfriend?" Faith asked in confusion.

Anya shrugged. "This is news to me too."

"Who're you?" Riley asked, motioning to Faith.

"Faith," the dark haired Slayer replied.

"She and Buffy are old friends," Anya elaborated.

"Then I'm sure Buffy will be happy to see you," Riley said. "Come on."

He opened the door and started walking back down the hallway with Faith and Anya trailing behind him. "You could have told me that Buffy has a boyfriend," Faith whispered over to the ex-vengeance demon.

"Why?" Anya whispered back. "I thought you said that didn't love her."

"I don't," Faith whispered harshly.

"Then who cares if she has a boyfriend?" Anya whispered.

"I do," Faith insisted.

"Maybe you should think about why," Anya replied.

"Is everything okay?" Riley asked, looking back at them curiously.

"Everything's fine," Anya answered, smiling widely. He nodded and continued.

"We heard gunshots," he explained. "I was coming to investigate."

"What have you guys been doing all this time?" Faith asked.

"At first, we tried to find any other students that had survived," Riley answered. "But we couldn't. There were too many of _them_. They're all over this building. We've managed to get out a few times to get food and supplies. But Buffy didn't want to risk trying to escape. She didn't think Willow and Tara would make it." They finally stopped walking. "We're here," he said. He knocked lightly on the door. It swung open and he stepped inside.

"You ready for this?" Anya asked. Faith glared over at her. Anya shrugged and entered the room as Faith followed nervously behind her.

"Look who I found," Riley stated. Faith instantly felt three sets of eyes burning into her face. Glancing at Willow, she saw only anger. Next to the red haired witch sat a blonde girl, who Faith assumed was Tara. She was watching Faith curiously, having noticed the tension that suddenly filled the room. Finally, Faith made herself look towards Buffy. The blonde Slayer was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, intently gazing at the younger girl.

"I thought you were in a coma," she said softly.

"People wake up from those," Faith explained. "It's a funny thing."

"What're you doing here?" Willow nearly growled.

"Down girl," Anya instructed. "We're here to rescue you."

"What?" Buffy asked in confusion.

"Not that you need rescuing, or anything," Faith said, suddenly launching into a ramble. "I'm sure you're handling everything just fine here. Seems like as good a place as any to hide out," she said, looking around, "but we just thought we'd come and see if you could use some help. You know, with the zombies."

"Help?" Buffy asked again. Her initial reaction upon seeing the dark haired Slayer was to grab the nearest weapon, but upon studying her face further, Buffy saw something that she had never before seen in the younger girl – fear. Faith was nervous.

"Yeah," Faith offered. "We have guns."

"Gods," Willow muttered. "Who the hell gave _her_ guns?"

"Let it go," Anya demanded. "We know, she tried to kill you. She turned evil. She slept with your best friend. She did all kinds of things for which you have great, painful feelings. We get it. But zombies have taken over Sunnydale. I think it's time to forgive and forget, people. We don't have all day and I want to get the hell out of here."

"What's going on?" Riley asked confusedly.

"It's a long story," Buffy murmured. When they had first heard the gunshots in the stairwell, Buffy had felt something that she had not felt for nearly eight months. Something stirred in her heart. A presence arose in her mind. She could feel Faith, though she did not know that it was the dark haired Slayer causing such turmoil within her. That presence had sparked a ray of hope that Buffy had thought had long ago faded. But still, seeing the younger girl ripped open the wounds of painful memories, about which she had forcibly forgotten.

"We have your mom," Faith blurted out.

"You have my mother?" Buffy said angrily. "Seriously, you kidnapped my mother at a time like this?"

"What?" Faith asked confusedly. "No."

"Oh, for gods sake," Anya rubbed her forehead. "Think before you speak," she muttered over to Faith.

"I didn't say that," Faith said defensively.

"You said you had my mother," Buffy replied. "How am I supposed to take that?"

"I meant that we found your mother," Faith corrected. "We found her. I took her to the Bronze. Giles is there."

"Giles is alive?" Buffy asked with relief.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too," Anya muttered. "They're so happy to see I'm not dead."

"We're happy to see that you're not dead," Willow said, rising to her feet, and quickly hugging Anya. "Very happy."

"Where's Xander?" Buffy suddenly asked.

Willow released Anya and stepped back. Anya looked down at the ground for several long moments before replying. "He's dead."

"What happened?" Willow asked, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Buffy sighed heavily and sat down on the bed.

"He got bit by one of them," Anya answered. "I had to put him down."

"I'm sorry," Tara said sympathetically. Standing, the blonde girl laid a comforting hand on Willow's shoulder.

"Look, as much I'd like to stand around catching up," Faith interrupted, "we gotta get moving if we're gonna get back to the Bronze before nightfall."

"We're l-leaving?" Tara asked anxiously.

"What makes you think we can get out of here?" Buffy questioned, rising to her feet.

Faith smiled grimly. "I guess you'll just have to trust me."


	9. Working Through the Madness

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, and, as always, keep them coming!

Previously:

"Look, as much I'd like to stand around catching up," Faith interrupted, "we gotta get moving if we're gonna get back to the Bronze before nightfall."

"We're l-leaving?" Tara asked anxiously.

"What makes you think we can get out of here?" Buffy questioned, rising to her feet.

Faith smiled grimly. "I guess you'll just have to trust me."

Chapter Eight: Working Through the Madness:

"Hey, well, here's a good sign," Anya whispered over at Faith as Buffy stared at her intently, seemingly trying to read the dark haired Slayer's every thought. "She hasn't burst out laughing yet."

"Shut up," Faith whispered back, glaring over at the ex-vengeance demon, though the look contained no malice, or anger. Buffy noticed the exchange and saw the softness in Faith's eyes when she looked at Anya, the familiarity that had grown between the two virtual strangers in presumably only a short period of time. A strange feeling crept into her heart. At first, she had difficulty identifying it, but the haze parted and she recognized clearly the seeds of jealousy stirring.

"You want _us_ to trust _you_?" Willow asked incredulously.

"Baby," Tara said lowly, "what's going on?"

"That's right," Willow said bitterly, "you never had the pleasure of meeting Faith. Let me introduce you to her."

"Will –" Buffy started, but Willow ignored her.

"Faith is another vampire Slayer," Willow explained.

"I thought there could only be one of them?" Riley interrupted.

"There should be only one of them – Buffy," Willow replied cynically. "Faith was a mistake."

"Fuck you, Red," Faith said angrily. Anya clamped her hand down on the younger girl's arm, preventing her from moving.

"Think about what you're doing," the ex-vengeance demon whispered just as Faith was about to step forward. "Do you really want to give Buffy a reason to hate you?"

"She already does," Faith whispered back.

"Maybe not so much as you think," Anya replied thoughtfully.

"Keep going," Riley said, looking over to Willow. He was as intrigued as Tara to learn more about the dark haired girl standing by the door. He too had sensed the tension that filled the room upon her arrival. Looking over to Buffy, he could see a myriad of emotions swirling through her eyes, none of which he liked.

"Faith killed a man," Willow continued. "And blamed Buffy for it. After that, she went crazy. She switched sides, fighting for evil instead of good. She killed another man, threatened all of us, and shot Angel with a poisoned arrow."

"Let's not leave out the part where everyone's favorite superhero gutted me and left me for dead," Faith added sarcastically.

"That was a mistake," Buffy said softly.

"Guys," Anya interrupted. "This is getting us no where."

"I think you knew exactly what you were doing," Faith said to Buffy.

Buffy chuckled mirthlessly. "And you didn't?"

"You want me to take responsibility for everything I did?" Faith asked, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Fine. I fucked up. I killed people. The first was an accident. And don't give me shit about that; it's not like you cared."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked defensively.

"I was going through something. It was an accident. You acted like I was some horrible monster because I didn't know how to deal with it," Faith replied heatedly.

"I didn't know how to deal with it either," Buffy shouted. "I was a kid."

"So was I!" Faith shouted back. "I was fifteen years old. I was totally alone. How the hell did you expect me to react?"

"I didn't think you would go to Giles and blame me for it," Buffy snorted.

"I didn't know what else to do," Faith said defensively. "You all blacklisted me."

"Don't blame this on us," Willow jumped in. "You had so many chances to change and you threw them all back in our faces."

"I don't know why I bothered to come here," Faith murmured, shaking her head.

"Why did you?" Buffy demanded.

"I thought you could use some help," Faith replied angrily.

"What, so you feel guilty now?" Buffy replied sarcastically.

Faith smiled exasperatedly, laid her shotgun down on the ground, and crossed her arms. She could feel her temper rising with each passing second and wanted to distance herself from her weapon. "You know, B, I feel a lot of things," Faith said seriously. "I'm pissed that you stabbed me. I pissed that you left me in a coma for eight months. I'm jealous because you have so much and you don't even see half of it, even now. I'm resentful because I have nothing but what you see. And yes, I'm sorry that I messed up. I'm sorry I turned evil and hurt all of you. But I can't change that. I can only say that I'm sorry and hope that you can see that I'm different now."

"Are you guys gonna be a while, because if so, I'd like to sit down," Anya muttered.

"I t-think," Tara began softly, "that we all just n-need to take a few m-moments."

"That might be a good idea," Riley agreed. Though he was not certain exactly what was going on between Buffy and Faith, he had learned much in their short conversation. Faith was dangerous.

Faith nodded and exhaled deeply, allowing herself a moment to clear her mind of the jumble of thoughts tumbling through it. "I didn't come here to fight with you," she said softly, after several long moments.

"I know," Buffy nodded, uncrossing her arms. Looking down at the ground, she restlessly fidgeted with her hands.

"I found your mother," Faith explained. "I knew that you were still alive. I told her that I would find you."

"Is she okay?" Buffy asked, looking up at the dark haired girl. Faith could see tears shining in her eyes. Though Faith had a vague notion of love towards her mother, as the woman who had birthed her, she had never missed, or cared deeply, for her mom. Buffy, on the other hand, was closer with her mother than Faith had ever really understood.

Faith nodded. "She's okay," she answered. "She's shook up. I don't know a person who wouldn't be after what she's been through."

"But she's not hurt?" Buffy pressed.

"She's not hurt," Faith confirmed. "She's in good hands at the Bronze. Giles is lookin' out for her."

"How is Giles?" Willow asked suddenly.

"Unhappy with the food," Faith smiled. "But other than that, he's fine."

"I can't believe they're both alive," Buffy murmured, wiping her eyes. "I thought that they were dead. I thought that everyone was dead."

Faith let her eyes fall on Riley. He was wearing fatigues and the gun he had holstered at his hip looked much like the ones the Initiative soldiers at the Bronze had possessed. "You're with the Initiative, aren't you?" Faith asked.

"How do you know about that?" Riley asked.

"Giles," Faith answered. "He had some theories about how all of this got started."

"What do you mean?" Riley asked, squinting his eyes in confusion. He thought that he had heard an accusatory tone in her voice.

Faith shook her head. "Do you know anything about how all of this got started?" She questioned.

"No," Riley answered simply. "My pager woke me up. I reported to my commander. He issued my team orders to try to secure the campus."

"Could you?" Faith asked.

"No," Riley said wearily. "There were too many of them."

"Where do you think they came from?" Faith asked.

"I don't know," Riley admitted. "After a few hours, the entire chain of command had broken down. We weren't receiving orders anymore."

"Why are you asking all of these questions?" Buffy asked suspiciously.

"Giles said that soldiers came to his house and tried to evacuate him," Faith replied.

"They were probably following orders," Riley confirmed.

"The zombies hadn't reached his house yet. They were in town, but not in his neighborhood. The soldiers loaded him and several others onto a truck and tried to get them out of town. They couldn't and, instead, they left them and three soldiers at the Bronze," Faith explained.

"Do you know who they were?" Riley asked suddenly.

"Who?" Faith replied.

"The soldiers? Do you know their names?" Riley furthered.

"We didn't get that far," Anya said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked.

"The soldiers were pretty anxious," Faith replied. "They didn't want us to leave."

"They actually threatened to shoot us," Anya added.

"Until Anya threatened to go homicidal on everyone," Faith smirked.

"I was a woman with a mission," Anya smiled.

"They weren't receiving any orders either. They hadn't heard from anyone in two weeks," Faith added. "They're just keeping everyone there."

"What w-were you talking about?" Tara asked. "Theories?"

"Giles thought that the attack originated here," Faith answered. "At the college."

"How could it have originated here?" Willow questioned.

"The Initiative is under this campus," Anya stated simply.

"So?" Riley asked defensively.

"How many people worked in the Initiative?" Faith asked.

"Thousands," Riley answered.

"Where do you think all of these zombies came from?" Anya said.

"You think this was the Initiative's fault?" Buffy asked, though curiosity reigned in her voice, not anger.

Faith shrugged. "I don't know what started this. But Giles seems to think that the Initiative was involved somehow."

"That's bullshit," Riley replied. "Our job is to kill things like them."

"But you experimented on demons," Tara suddenly joined in.

"Maybe one of the scientists didn't know what he or she was getting into," Willow nodded.

"We need to leave," Faith said, reaching down and picking up her shotgun. "It's going to be night soon. I told Giles we'd be back before sunset."

"What's at sunset?" Buffy asked.

"Zombies," Anya answered.

"They don't wander around town during the day. Only night," Faith said. "It's not like here. I don't know why. Maybe there are too many of them here for them all to find a place to hide away from the sun."

"They do stay in the shadows," Buffy nodded.

"Do you really t-think that you can get us out of here?" Tara asked nervously.

Faith smiled. "I know I can."

"Besides," Buffy said, smiling slightly. "Two Slayers are better than one. You got a gun for me?"

"Yeah," Faith said, sliding her pack off of her back. Reaching in, she pulled out one of the handguns Anya had packed for her and tossed it to the blonde Slayer. She tossed her some extra ammunition as well.

"Don't get us killed, Faith," Buffy warned her as the younger girl pulled open the dorm room door.

"Really not the plan," Faith muttered.

"I think that went well," Anya whispered as they filed out into the hallway. "No punches were thrown."

"Day isn't over yet," Faith replied. Once they had all gathered in the hallway, Faith started walking, leading the way. Buffy joined her, with Anya, Willow, and Tara walking in a cluster behind her. Riley brought up the rear.

"When did you wake up?" Buffy asked.

"Three days ago," Faith answered.

"So you had no idea what was going on," Buffy stated. "I can't imagine what that was like."

"It's wasn't fun," Faith admitted. Pulling open the door to the stairwell, she leveled her shotgun. The bodies of the zombies still lay littering the stairs. She could not hear anything stirring below. "You feel anything?" She asked Buffy.

Buffy shook her head. "Only you," she murmured, though she had spoken so lowly that Faith was uncertain whether the blonde Slayer had intended for her to hear.

Faith continued moving forward, picking her way carefully down the stairs. She heard Tara gasp behind her. "Sorry for the mess," she apologized. Tara smiled gratefully and nodded.

"What makes you think you can get us out of here?" Buffy reiterated Tara's question once they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"What makes you think I can't?" Faith asked in exasperation.

"It's one thing for two people to sneak onto a campus full of zombies," Buffy reasoned. "It's quite another for a group of six to sneak off of a campus full of zombies."

"Well," Faith said thoughtfully, "we could always use Anya's plan."

"What was Anya's plan?" Willow asked warily.

"We could all pretend to be zombies," Faith shrugged. Anya laughed, but the others stare at her incredulously. "It was a joke," she added. "Anya," she said, nodding towards the other girl, "give Willow and Tara some guns."

"I don't know how to use this," Tara said as Anya gave her a handgun.

"It doesn't matter," Faith said. "It's just for emergencies."

"Are there going to be emergencies?" Willow asked anxiously.

"I don't like this," Riley stated.

"You don't have to," Faith stated. "This is my operation. We're gonna walk out of here, sneak around the building, and make a break for the hill. If anything sees us and tries to follow, we shoot it."

"That's your great plan?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"You know me, B," Faith said, pulling open the exit door. "I leap first, think later." The sunlight hit her face as she stepped outside. The afternoon was growing late and the sun was starting to sink. Faith was uncertain if they would make it back to the Bronze by nightfall. Moving to the side, she waited until the group had assembled behind her before she furtively started walking along the side of the building. She could not see any zombies, but she could hear them, and she knew that they were close. When she reached the edge of the building, she paused. Peering around the side, she could see a group of zombies wandering in the shadows several yards away. The hill lay in front of them. "Okay, guys," she whispered. "Get ready to run."


	10. Two are Better than One

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! I'm sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out, but I've had some problems logging in, as well as uploading documents. So once I've gotten those problems straightened out, this chapter will be up.

Previously:

"You know me, B," Faith said, pulling open the exit door. "I leap first, think later." The sunlight hit her face as she stepped outside. The afternoon was growing late and the sun was starting to sink. Faith was uncertain if they would make it back to the Bronze by nightfall. Moving to the side, she waited until the group had assembled behind her before she furtively started walking along the side of the building. She could not see any zombies, but she could hear them, and she knew that they were close. When she reached the edge of the building, she paused. Peering around the side, she could see a group of zombies wandering in the shadows several yards away. The hill lay in front of them. "Okay, guys," she whispered. "Get ready to run."

Chapter Nine: Two are Better than One:

"You've got to be kidding me," Willow muttered.

"We're j-just supposed to run?" Tara questioned anxiously.

"What happens if they catch us?" Willow furthered.

"Then they'll eat us and turn us into zombies," Faith replied exasperatedly. "But really, that wouldn't be so bad. I don't think once you're turned you really know what the hell is going on anymore."

"Ignorance is bliss," Buffy nodded.

"What's the problem?" Anya asked simply. "This is how we got in."

"You just ran down the hill?" Riley questioned with disbelief.

"A little more sneaky like," Faith defended. "But yeah."

"I don't like this plan," Willow argued.

"I don't see you coming up with a better one," Faith retorted.

"Maybe we should go b-back inside," Tara suggested. "Figure things out t-there."

"I'm starting to see why you people never left the college," Anya muttered.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Buffy asked defiantly.

"Okay," Faith said as loudly as she could without attracting the attention of the zombies surrounding them, "new plan. Riley, you take Willow and Tara up the hill. Wait for us on the other side. Buffy, Anya, and I will hold the line behind you."

"Why does Anya get to fight?" Riley asked with frustration.

"I trust Anya," Faith responded.

"And you don't trust me?" He furthered irritably.

"You're wearing a uniform," Faith said, pointing to his Initiative clothing, "for all I know, you boys started all of this."

"That's great," Willow threw up her hands, "just start blaming everyone for all of the bad things that happen. That's just like you, Faith. How do we know that this isn't somehow your fault too?"

Faith chuckled mirthlessly. "Can I shoot her?" She asked, looking over at Anya.

"Better not," Anya shook her head. "Though, ask me that again in a few minutes and I might change my answer."

"I was in a coma," Faith said, looking back at the red haired witch. "You can't start a zombie invasion if you're in a coma."

"This isn't her fault, Will," Buffy said softly. Willow looked over at her best friend warningly, but said no more.

"Can Anya even shoot?" Buffy questioned.

"Would you like a demonstration?" Anya questioned defensively, holding up her shotgun.

"No," Faith said, placing her hand on the barrel of the gun and pushing it down. "We don't have time for demonstrations. Anya can shoot. She saved my ass back in the stairwell."'

"What makes you think Buffy even wants to stay behind with the two of you?" Willow asked.

"I wasn't really asking if she did. But the way I see it, we're Slayers, and they're the enemy," Faith argued.

"You didn't really care what being a Slayer meant eight months ago," Buffy replied sharply.

"No, you've got that all wrong," Faith said angrily. "I always knew what being a Slayer meant. I lived it. You, on the other hand, didn't give a shit about what being a Slayer meant. You were fine with it so long as it didn't get in the way of your precious life, but once shit hit the fan, you were ready to quit."

"And you did quit," Buffy pointed out heatedly.

"I had my reasons," Faith stated quietly.

"What were those reasons?" Buffy asked. "I was never really clear on why you betrayed all of us and tried to kill everyone in town."

"Okay," Anya said, raising her shotgun again and stepping around to the front of the building into the full view of the zombies. "I think it's time for a little less talk and a little more action." Aiming, she squeezed the trigger. The sound of the bullet tearing through the air echoed around the silent and empty campus. One of the zombies groaned and hit the ground. The rest of the walking dead, now aware of the group's presence, rushed towards them.

"Shit! Anya!" Faith yelled angrily.

"Riley, take Willow and Tara up the hill," Buffy instructed.

"So we are following my plan," Faith smiled.

"Too late for anything better now," Buffy commented. She and Faith joined Anya, shooting zombies as they backed slowly up the hill. Riley, Willow, and Tara ran, pausing only when they reached the crest. The two Slayers and the ex-vengeance demon stood halfway down, forming a tight line, and shooting everything that came at them.

"It's not like we even asked that much of you," Buffy said over the cracking of the guns.

"What are you talking about?" Faith asked, glancing over at her in confusion. She took two steps back, stopped, and reloaded. Anya did the same.

"I asked you why you turned on us," Buffy reminded her. "And I said, it's not like we asked that much of you."

"Yeah, you're right," Faith nodded. "You didn't ask that much of me. Maybe that was the problem."

"That doesn't make any sense," Buffy shook her head.

"Didn't you ever stop to think that maybe I just wanted to be part of the gang?" Faith asked, aiming, and shooting what had once been a young man with messy hair and glasses in the head.

"You _were_ one of the gang," Buffy defended.

"No I wasn't," Faith said heatedly. "If I was one of the gang, you wouldn't have let me live in that shitty motel room by myself. Do you have any idea how I even got the money to pay for that place?"

"How did you get the money?" Buffy asked curiously.

"You don't want to know," Faith shook her head. "Let's just say that the landlord came up with an arrangement."

"Is this really the best time to be talking about this?" Anya asked as she fired two shots. They were moving continually up the hill, though their progress was slow. They knew that it was not necessary to shoot every zombie that they saw, but once they started, they did not want to stop. Riley, Willow, and Tara had retreated further down on the hill on the other side, where they were more protected from both the advancing zombies and any stray bullets that might have come their way.

"I think this is a perfect time to talk about this," Buffy replied. "No better time in the world."

"I didn't have anything," Faith continued. "You know that I had to steal money from vampires before I slayed them? That's how bad it was. I barely ever ate. If that had been Willow, or Xander, you would have done something. But it was me and you didn't care."

"I did care. I do care," Buffy shouted over the crack of her gun.

"Bullshit," Faith replied instantly.

"I cared…care about you Faith, but you were always so distant. You would never let me in. You're right, if that had been Willow or Xander, I would have helped them. But they would have asked for help. I tried Faith, but you didn't give me anything to work with," Buffy countered.

"You're right," Faith said softly. "Maybe I didn't ask. Maybe not with words. But you could have looked deeper."

"You know, we can blame each other all you want, but it's not going to solve any of our problems," Buffy reasoned.

"What will then?" Faith asked. They had reached the top of the hill. The zombies had only followed them so far, but upon seeing their comrades fall, they had lingered behind, failing to chase after the three women. Faith, Buffy, and Anya stood at the top of the hill, breathing heavily from the excitement of their escape, as their guns lay silent and smoking at their sides.

"I don't know," Buffy replied sadly.

"But something can," Faith pressed.

"Something can," Buffy nodded. "I just don't know what that is," she said, looking over at Faith, and meeting her eyes. For the first time, Buffy saw the other girl, perhaps as she really was – scared, alone, and desperate for companionship. Then Faith looked away.

"That went well," she murmured, looking down at the bottom of the hill, where a collection of zombies had gathered, staring back up at them.

"We're not going to make it to the Bronze in time," Anya said, glancing up at the sky. The sun was rapidly falling towards the horizon.

"We will if we hurry," Faith replied. The three women jogged down the hill, meeting the others at the bottom.

"They're not following you," Tara pointed out.

"I guess they got the idea that chasing humans with guns isn't such a smart move," Buffy noted.

"They figured that out, huh?" Faith said thoughtfully.

"What?" Anya asked, looking over at her.

"I wonder how smart they really are," she said. "Some of them stumble around aimlessly, while others, like the ones down there, chased after us. They figured out that we were dangerous. I just wonder what else they can figure out."

"Nothing," Riley replied. "They can't figure out anything. They're just animals, beasts. They're not smart, they're just lucky. Look, you said that we needed to get moving. I'll lead the way."

Riley turned and began to walk. Willow and Tara followed closely behind him with Anya trailing behind them. Buffy and Faith looked over at each other and sighed. "I guess we're bringing up the rear, huh, B?" Faith smiled sarcastically.

"Don't sound so enthused," Buffy quipped.

"You know, I gotta wonder," Faith said, "why didn't you try to lead them out?"

"I did," Buffy said gravely. "It didn't go so well."

"How do you mean?" Faith asked.

"We had three others with us," Buffy stated. "Now we don't. Thus, it didn't go so well."

"But you didn't try again?" Faith questioned.

"Those three people I didn't know. But Willow, Tara, and Riley, I do know. They're my friends. I care very deeply for them. I wasn't about to risk their lives to come out here and maybe find out that there was nothing left."

Faith nodded. She could understand Buffy's reasoning, even if she did not agree with it. Nothing sounded worse to her than being trapped in a dorm room with three other people while hordes of zombies gathered outside of the front door. Sighing, she focused on the long walk ahead. Giles would be happy to see Willow, while Joyce would be ecstatic to see her daughter again. Faith had only planned so far as her rescuing of Buffy. Beyond that, she knew little else. The Bronze was a safe place to stay. It was stocked with food and water. The zombies could not get in through the two well guarded entrances. Yet, the food and water would run out eventually. Faith wondered what was happening outside of Sunnydale – if the zombies had been stopped and the rest of the world was continuing on as if nothing had happened, while Sunnydale was ravaged and destroyed, or if the human race had failed to restrain the zombies and the rest of the world was just as dead and broken as the small town.

"You seem deep in thought," Buffy remarked.

"Happens sometimes," Faith murmured.

"What're you thinking about?" The blonde Slayer asked.

"Where we go from here," Faith answered slowly.

"What do you mean?" Buffy questioned.

The younger girl sighed. "Do we just wait at the Bronze until we run out of food and starve to death? Or do we try to get out of town and see what's left of the world?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted. "The thought of leaving scares me. I don't want to leave and find out that everything's gone."

"But what if it's not?" Faith said urgently. "What if it's just us?"

"If it was just us, someone would have sent help," Buffy said firmly.

"I don't know," Faith shook her head. "Maybe not."

"Why wouldn't the government send help?" Buffy asked.

"It would be too much of a risk. They couldn't nuke Sunnydale without devastating after effects to the surrounding areas, including Los Angeles. They can't send the army in because they know what happened with the Initiative soldiers. It spread too quickly among them. The last thing they need is to add to the problem. Why not just quarantine us from the rest of the world and wait," Faith reasoned.

"Wait for what?" Buffy asked interestedly. She had never known Faith to be a deep thinker; however, she was starting to understand that there was more going on inside of the younger girl's mind than she had previously known.

"The zombies to starve to death," Faith concluded. "Everything needs something to keep it going. Vampires need blood. People need food. _They_ need flesh."

"Once they run out, they'll die…again," Buffy fumbled.

"Something like that," Faith nodded. "That is, unless the rest of the world really has been taken over and we aren't quarantined. In which case, we're pretty much fucked."

"That makes me feel better," Buffy muttered.

"That's what I'm here for," Faith smiled. Looking worriedly into the sky, she frowned. The sun was almost parallel to her and they had just reached the town. The Bronze was still several blocks away.

"You know," Buffy said softly, "we had our problems – some big problems that may never go away. But I'm glad you're here."

"It's like you said, B," Faith nodded, "two Slayers are better than one." Smiling over at the blonde Slayer, she picked up her pace, urging the others to do the same.

Buffy lingered behind, watching Faith lead the group. Faith had never been a leader, but something seemed to have woken up in her when she awoke from her coma. "Two Slayers are better than one," she whispered. "But that's not why I'm glad you're here."


	11. The People Lost Along the Way

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews and, as always, keep them coming. I'm having so much fun with this fic, but I have a feeling you all are going to hate me by the time it's done. Cue the evil laughter.

Previously:

"You know," Buffy said softly, "we had our problems – some big problems that may never go away. But I'm glad you're here."

"It's like you said, B," Faith nodded, "two Slayers are better than one." Smiling over at the blonde Slayer, she picked up her pace, urging the others to do the same.

Buffy lingered behind, watching Faith lead the group. Faith had never been a leader, but something seemed to have woken up in her when she awoke from her coma. "Two Slayers are better than one," she whispered. "But that's not why I'm glad you're here."

Chapter Ten: The People Lost Along the Way:

_Faith sat alone in the cafeteria with the sounds of other children laughing and eating filling her ears. Her stomach growled loudly, but she ignored it. Her mother never gave her money for lunch. She had learned to deal with hunger, among other things. She knew that the other kids were laughing at her, snickering behind their freshly prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She let her eyes fall on the table where the popular third grade girls sat. One girl in particular caught her gaze. She had blonde pigtails, which were tied back with pink ribbons. Her name was Rachel and she had been best friends with Faith until the year before, when Rachel's mother discovered that Faith's mother was a drug addict. After that, Rachel was not allowed to bring Faith over for play dates anymore. Now, the blonde haired girl did not even speak to her._

_Faith sighed and laid her head down on her arms. Lunch would be over soon. Recess would end just as quickly, as well as her afternoon classes, and she would have to return home. She shuddered, dreading the moment when the final bell of the day would ring. All of the other kids would leap from their seats, happy to run out to the parking lot to meet their parents. Faith's mother never came to pick her up from school. She never met the little girl at the bus stop. Faith was not even sure that her mother knew that she went to school. _

_Faith was lonely sometimes, sitting at the table by herself in the cafeteria or wandering the outskirts of the recess field, hoping someone would invite her to play, though no one ever did. But she had learned that people only let her down. She did not need anyone else to be happy, though she sometimes wondered if she really was happy, or if she had just deceived herself into thinking so. "I don't need anyone," she whispered to herself, ignoring the sharp pangs of hunger that ravaged her stomach._

_"Can I sit here?" A small voice asked, so softly that Faith almost missed the words. Looking up, she saw an uncertain, hesitant, brown haired girl standing before her, bouncing back and forth on the balls of her feet, while she held a brown, paper lunch bag in her hands. Faith shrugged and the other girl sat down across from her. "What's your name?"_

_"Faith," Faith answered, watching the girl unpack a sandwich._

_"I'm Christy," the girl said, smiling. "Don't you have a lunch?"_

_"No," Faith replied. _

_"Well, here," Christy said, tearing her sandwich in half. "Take some of mine."_

_"You don't have to," Faith said, glancing at her warily, though she accepted the sandwich eagerly._

_"I know," Christy shrugged. "I want to."_

……………………………………

"We're not gonna make it to the Bronze in time are we?" Buffy asked as she jogged along side of Faith.

"No," Faith acknowledged. The last rays of the sun shimmered on the horizon. Faith felt like her blood was boiling in her veins. Her heart raced wildly. Despite her attempts to calm her breathing, her lungs strained for more air. She and Buffy were leading the others down a street that ran parallel to Main Street. The Bronze was four blocks away on the right. Though the distance was not great, Faith did not know what lay between them and their destination.

"Maybe we should stop," Buffy suggested.

"Where?" Faith asked. "It's not safe here."

"We never should have left the campus," Willow interjected.

"It wasn't safe there either," Buffy shot back.

Faith ignored the bickering women. Turning a corner, she froze, stopping dead in her tracks. "Shit…Faith!" Buffy muttered, ramming into the younger girl's back, not expecting her to have stopped so suddenly.

"Turn around," Faith instructed softly.

"Why?" Anya asked as the others turned the corner as well.

"That's why," Faith said, pointing a group of zombies lumbering down the street towards them.

"Go!" Buffy urged. The group turned and retraced their steps down the previous street. However, before they had walked far, they saw another group of zombies pacing towards them from behind.

"We're trapped," Riley stated.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Faith muttered.

"What do we do now?" Buffy asked. Pulling a breath of air deep into her lungs, Faith exhaled slowly. The world seemed to be spinning out of control around her. "Faith?" Buffy asked.

"I have a really bad feeling," Faith whispered anxiously. Buffy narrowed her eyes and gazed into the dark haired Slayer's face. Faith was terrified. "Do you remember when I said that becoming one of them wouldn't be so bad? I was wrong."

"We need a plan, Faith," Buffy said, stepping forward and laying a reassuring hand on the younger girls' arm. As soon as the blonde Slayer's fingertips hit Faith's skin, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her, centering her in the moment. Faith blinked rapidly and glanced down at Buffy, startled by her close proximity.

"There is such a thing as personal space, B," Faith said jokingly.

"I know," Buffy replied, though she did not move backwards.

Faith looked back at the zombies advancing towards them. The street between them and the zombies was littered with abandoned cars. "I have a plan," Faith suddenly announced.

"It's about damn time," Anya muttered.

"One of these cars has to work still," Faith said. "Find one that does and find it soon."

The group quickly fanned out, searching the abandoned cars. Unfortunately, many of them had been left running when their owners chose to run for their lives, or were taken down by the zombies. The cars had either been depleted of gas or their batteries had been run dead. Faith jumped into the nearest car and searched desperately for the keys. Though she could hotwire the vehicle, she knew that she did not have time. Exiting the car, she ran to the next one. Glancing up after her latest failure, she saw the others doing the same. "Shit," she muttered, slamming her hand down on the steering wheel. The zombies in Sunnydale were quite different from those at the campus. The zombies at U.C. Sunnydale were much smarter and faster than the zombies wandering through the streets of the town. They had some time before the zombies would reach them, but not much.

Faith glanced over at Anya before exiting the car and running towards another. Anya jumped into an SUV and flipped down the visor, searching for keys as well. A key ring filled with keys fell into her lap. "Bingo," she said. She tried several unsuccessfully before she found the right one. Shoving it into the ignition, she turned it, groaning when the engine failed to start. A strange feeling crept over her as she threw the keys onto the seat next to her. A second before it happened, she knew that something was terribly wrong. Before she could react, a pair of hands reached forward from behind her seat, clamping firmly down on her arms. Lunging over the seat, a deformed and rotting man in his forties hissed and slammed his teeth down into her shoulder.

"Fuck!" Anya yelled, struggling to rip herself free from his grasp. Slamming her head back into the zombie's face, she wrenched the car door open and tumbled down onto the street.

"Anya?" Faith asked, watching her fall from the car. "Oh no," she muttered when she saw the blood coating her friend's shoulder. Running over to the ex-vengeance demon, she pulled her away from the car. The zombie inside was struggling to crawl out. Lifting her gun, Faith pulled the trigger, watching with satisfaction as the man's head exploded into a fine, red mist. "It bit you didn't it?" Faith asked as she helped Anya to her feet.

"What happened?" Buffy asked, rushing over.

"Yeah," Anya said, her face turning deathly pale. "I'm so fucked."

"No," Faith said, firmly, shaking her head. "You're okay."

"I'm gonna turn into one of them," Anya stated tearfully.

"She got bitten?" Buffy asked fearfully. Faith nodded.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine filled the otherwise silent night. "I got one started!" Riley shouted. Willow and Tara, abandoned their search and ran over to the car, oblivious to what was happening.

"Go," Anya said, wiping tears from her eyes, and nodding towards the car. Shoving her shotgun into Faith's hands, she grabbed a handgun from her belt and pulled back the hammer.

"No," Faith said heatedly. "I'm not going to leave you here."

"You have to!" Anya shouted. "Get out of here."

"Faith," Buffy said, pulling her arm. "We have to go."

"I can't leave her," Faith pleaded.

"You can't do anything for me," Anya interjected, grabbing the dark haired Slayer and pulling her into a quick embrace. "Good luck," she whispered in her ear. Then, releasing her, Anya raised her gun. "Now get out of here. I'll make sure they don't follow you."

Faith hesitated for a moment as Buffy ran towards the car. "Fuck 'em up, yeah?" She said, smiling crookedly. Anya nodded. Turning, Faith ran, hopping into the backseat of the car as Riley pulled away down the street. Anya sighed heavily and closed her eyes for a moment. She could feel the life draining from her, slowly being replaced by something else. Opening her eyes, she turned to face the approaching group of zombies.

"You killed everyone in my town," she said, stepping forward. "You killed my boyfriend. And now you've killed me. I think it's only fair that I return the favor." Lifting her weapon, she emptied the gun of all but one of its bullets. The zombies she struck fell to the ground, trampled under the feet of others.

Anya looked back one last time, watching as the taillights of the car disappeared around a bend. She could almost sense Faith's eyes on her. Lifting the gun, she placed it against her temple. The zombies started to run towards her. "Xander," she sighed as she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.

Faith turned to face the front of the car as they rounded a bend. "Where's Anya?" Willow asked.

"She got bitten," Buffy said, looking down at her hands.

"Are you happy now?" Willow said bitterly, looking at Faith.

"What?" Faith asked sharply, meeting the witch's eyes.

"I asked if you were happy now?" Willow repeated.

"Honey," Tara said carefully, trying to stop Willow from saying something that she would regret.

"You're asking me if I'm happy that Anya is as good as dead?" Faith asked incredulously.

"Yes," Willow replied firmly.

"Willow!" Buffy said angrily.

"Why are you defending her?" Willow shot back.

"How dare you ask me that," Faith growled.

"Faith," Buffy said warningly, sensing the dark haired Slayer's anger boiling over. Lunging forward quicker than Buffy could react, Faith grabbed Willow's arm, digging her fingernails into the witch's tender skin. Buffy leap forward, grabbing Faith by the shoulders and pulling her into the backseat. "Forget about her," Buffy whispered. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

Faith struggled to release herself from the blonde Slayer's grasp, but Buffy would not let her go. Finally, Faith sagged under the older girl's strength. She felt something burning up in her chest and before she could stop it, she found herself sobbing in Buffy's arms. At first, Buffy did not know how to react to seeing the other girl so vulnerable. Faith had never let her in before, but Buffy was not about to throw away what would, perhaps, be her only chance to reconnect with her fellow Slayer. "It's okay," Buffy whispered, pulling Faith closer. Faith turned and rested against Buffy's chest, burying her face into the blonde Slayer's neck.

She had tried so hard to protect Anya and the others, but she had failed. The image of Anya's tearful eyes staring at her numbly filled her mind until she could see nothing else. "It's okay," she heard Buffy whispering over and over as the car careened through the streets of Sunnydale towards the Bronze. "She died a hero, Faith," Buffy said. "She was a hero. It was her choice."

"This is all my fault," Faith choked out.

"No, it's not," Buffy said softly. Hesitantly, she reached up and ran her hands gently through the younger girl's dark hair, tangling her fingers in the tresses. Faith's tears lessened, but her breath raged out of control. "You have to calm down," Buffy encouraged her.

"I can't," Faith shook her head, burying her face further into the blonde Slayer's neck. "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Lose people," Faith answered softly.

"We're here," Riley announced as the car screeched to a halt.

"Come on," Buffy said, reluctantly releasing Faith from her grasp. Faith sat up and rubbed her eyes furiously, embarrassed and angry with herself for crying in front of the older girl. Willow looked back at them inquisitively, but followed Riley and Tara out of the car. The street in front of the Bronze was empty. Riley pounded on the door. "We have to go inside."

"I don't think that I can move," Faith shook her head.

"It's hard…losing people," Buffy acknowledged. "But you have to be strong."

"I'm so tired," Faith said, holding her face in her hands.

"I know," Buffy said, reaching over and embracing the other girl suddenly. "So am I." Softly, Buffy pressed her lips against Faith's forehead. Pulling away, she opened her car door and stepped out onto the street. Faith watched her for several long moments before doing the same. The cold night air hit her face, instantly drying her cheeks of her lingering tears. The nightly wailing of the zombies had begun. It chilled Faith to the bones. She wondered if Anya's voice was raised among them now. "Are you coming?" Buffy asked, looking back at her expectantly as Riley and the others filed into the Bronze. The soldier who opened the door seemed pleased to see Riley. "Come on," Buffy said, reaching out her hand towards Faith. Faith hesitatingly took a step forward and laced her fingers with the blonde Slayer's. "I'm right here with you."


	12. Home Sweet Home

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! Also, to address a reviewer's question, I do plan to continue Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow. I wanted to write this story first and try to get some ideas together for it. I vaguely know where I want to go with it, but I am having a hard time trying to iron out details. But yes, I do plan to continue with that series sometime in the near future.

Previously:

Softly, Buffy pressed her lips against Faith's forehead. Pulling away, she opened her car door and stepped out onto the street. Faith watched her for several long moments before doing the same. The cold night air hit her face, instantly drying her cheeks of her lingering tears. The nightly wailing of the zombies had begun. It chilled Faith to the bones. She wondered if Anya's voice was raised among them now. "Are you coming?" Buffy asked, looking back at her expectantly as Riley and the others filed into the Bronze. The soldier who opened the door seemed pleased to see Riley. "Come on," Buffy said, reaching out her hand towards Faith. Faith hesitatingly took a step forward and laced her fingers with the blonde Slayer's. "I'm right here with you."

Chapter Eleven: Home Sweet Home:

_Snowflakes were falling gently when Faith began to walk to school. The previous week's snow had melted mostly, though it still piled in dirty grey here and there on the sidewalks and in the gutters. Clad in a ripped, long sleeved shirt, the little girl wrapped her arms tightly around her body, trying vainly to warm herself in the freezing temperatures. She had never owned a coat. She remembered a winter a few years ago, when her mother had promised to buy her a new coat for Christmas. Faith had waited excitedly for Christmas morning, but when the day arrived, nothing waited for her. She had never asked her mother about the coat, but the woman had been oddly kind to her for a month afterwards, glancing at her guilty when she thought that the little girl was not looking. _

_Faith walked quickly. Every morning, she met Christy at the bus stop. She and the other girl had become fast friends, though Faith still wondered why the girl had even bothered to speak with her. Though she had seemed shy at first, once she became comfortable with Faith, Christy had blossomed. Faith looked forward to waiting with her at the bus stop every morning. For the first time in a long time, she eagerly anticipated school. She turned a corner and the bus stop came into view. Instantly, she knew that something was wrong. A circle of boys, a grade ahead of her, had formed a circle around the bus stop. Through their taunts and haughty laughter, she heard the sound of someone crying softly._

_Anger boiled up inside of her. Dropping her books in the dirty snow, she ran forward. She reached the circle and pushed the nearest boy. He fell forward, scraping his knees on the sidewalk. "Leave her alone!" Faith shouted. Christy was kneeling in the center of the circle, crying desperately, as the boys kicked at her and pushed her. A small stream of blood was running down from a cut on her cheek._

_"What're you gonna do?" One of the boys sneered. He roughly pushed her and Faith found herself tumbling backwards. Her back collided with the ground and, suddenly, she could not breathe._

_"Faith!" She heard Christy yell. The boy advanced and Faith pulled herself to her feet. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand curled into a fist and she threw her arm towards him. Her fist connected with his nose, which snapped in a sickening crack. Blood spurted from his face, staining the snow red. The boy cried out and backed away, joining his friends as they ran down the sidewalk away from the two girls. Faith looked down at her shaking hand in wonder. She had never hit anyone. Snapping out of her daze, she moved forward, and knelt down next to Christy._

_"You okay?" Faith asked, reaching forward with her trembling hand and touching the side of the other girl's face gently._

_"Five by five," Christy nodded, sniffling softly as she rubbed the tears from her eyes. Faith smiled crookedly._

_"What does that mean?" Faith asked, helping the other girl to her feet. Christy shrugged._

_"I don't know," she replied, "but my daddy always says it."_

_"You're bleeding," Faith noted angrily._

_"You saved me," Christy said gratefully. Faith flushed and looked down at the ground embarrassedly._

_"It was nothing," she shrugged. Christy smiled and leaned forward, quickly planting a soft kiss on Faith's forehead. _

_"Thank you," she said. Faith felt her cheeks warm again and she smiled. She did not feel cold anymore. The school bus was lumbering down the street towards them. "I don't want to go to school," Christy said softly. "I don't want to see those boys."_

_"Let's skip then," Faith suggested as she retraced her steps and gathered up her wet books.._

_"We can go back to my house," Christy said hopefully. "My parents are at work."_

_"Okay," Faith nodded as Christy slipped her gloved hand into Faith's bare hand and led her down the sidewalk. Smiling, Faith let herself be led._

………………………… 

"I'm right here with you," Buffy said softly, nodding encouragingly. Faith took a hesitating step forward and laced her fingers with Buffy's outstretched hand. Buffy squeezed the younger girl's hand tightly and led her into the Bronze. The door clanged closed behind them and, instantly, Faith felt Giles' eyes on her.

"Where is…?" Giles started, but Buffy interrupted.

"Now _really_ isn't the time," she said emphatically. Faith looked down at the ground, uncomfortable with all of the eyes staring intently at her.

"Buffy," Joyce breathed in relief, rushing forward through the crowd of people that had gathered at the door of the Bronze. Taking her daughter in her arms, she hugged her tightly.

Buffy's reluctantly released Faith's hand and circled her arms around her mother's shoulders. "Mom," she sighed. She had tried to stop thinking about the people she loved, people who she had been convinced that she would never see again. Tears tumbled down her cheeks as she relaxed into her mother's embrace.

"I love you so much," Joyce whispered into her daughter's ear.

Buffy smiled against her shoulder. "I love you too, Mom," she whispered back.

"Hey," Liz said, walking up to Faith. "I see you made it back."

"Yeah," Faith nodded. "It's pretty rough out there," she said conversationally.

"You hungry?" Liz asked. She had noticed Anya's absence, as had everyone else at the Bronze, but she knew better than to question Faith as to what had happened to the other girl.

Faith smiled gratefully. "Starving," she replied. Casting a lingering glance back at Buffy, she slipped away into the shadows of the second floor with the younger girl.

After several long moments, Buffy pulled away from her mother and smiled over at Giles, rubbing the tears from her cheeks. "I'm so glad to see you," she said, pulling her Watcher into a quick embrace.

"And I you," Giles replied when Buffy released her grip on him and he could breathe again. "Riley," Giles said, noticing the young soldier standing awkwardly behind the blonde Slayer.

"Sir," Riley said, smiling as he shook Giles' hand.

"Hey Giles," Willow said tearfully, rushing forward, and throwing herself into the ex-librarian's arms. Giles smiled and hugged her tightly.

"It's alright," he said comfortingly. Willow pulled away embarrassedly and wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'd like you to meet someone," she said, motioning for Tara step forward. Tara looked down at the ground and walked up hesitatingly, smiling slightly when she saw the kind look in Giles' eyes. "This is my girlfriend Tara," Willow said proudly.

"Tara," Giles repeated. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Tara smiled awkwardly and accepted his outstretched hand.

"Y-you too," she replied.

"And who is this?" Joyce asked pointedly, smiling at Riley.

"Oh," Buffy said, "this is my…this is Riley."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," Riley said, shaking Joyce's hand firmly.

"You too…finally," she added.

"I imagine you all are quite hungry and tired," Giles concluded. "We have some food upstairs, as well as some blankets. Welcome home, for now."

The group collectively began to walk towards the stairs leading to the second level. Buffy and Giles led the way. Looking around, Buffy frowned. "Where'd Faith go?" She asked anxiously.

"I don't know," Giles shrugged. "I'm sure she'll surface."

"What was it like out there?" Joyce asked worriedly.

"Bad," Buffy admitted. "I think we were the only people left alive at the college."  
"Did you see anyone in town?" Giles asked.

Buffy shook her head. "No one alive, anyway."

"And Anya?" Joyce questioned, though she feared that she already knew the answer.

Buffy smiled sadly. "Anya was bitten when we were trying to get back to the Bronze. I don't know what happened to her in the end, she stayed behind to fight while we fled. She had a gun with her; I hope she used it before she turned."

"I'm so sorry," Giles shook his head.

"It really hit Faith hard. She and Anya must have bonded. She was sobbing in my arms in the back of the car," Buffy whispered to Giles.

"Really?" Giles asked curiously.

"I've never seen her cry before," Buffy continued. "I really believe her when she says that she's changed. Faith never would have done that if something in her wasn't different."

"I agree," Giles nodded. "On all accounts. Faith has changed. Though only time will tell how that change has affected her."

"I was hoping that you could do me a favor," Buffy said apprehensively.

"Anything," Giles offered sincerely.

"Could you talk to Willow?" She asked.

Giles frowned. "What about?"

"She's been really hard on Faith. On the one hand, part of me still thinks that Faith deserves it. But I know that she's sorry for the things that she did. A greater part of me just wants to forgive her and move on. It's too hard holding grudges, especially now. But Willow won't let it go," Buffy explained.

"Ah," Giles replied. "I see. I'll talk to her. Perhaps I can convince her to give Faith another chance."

"Hopefully," Buffy remarked.

Faith watched the group ascend the stairs to the second level. She was sitting in the shadows with Liz, absently munching on a sandwich. "So that's Buffy?" Liz asked.

"That's Buffy," Faith confirmed. "The vampire Slayer."

"I thought you said that you were the vampire Slayer?" Liz questioned confusedly.

"No," Faith shook her head. "I'm _a_ Slayer. Buffy is _the _Slayer."

"What's the difference?" Liz asked.

"Hell if I know," Faith shrugged. "That's just the way it's always been."

"What happened out there?" Liz questioned quietly. Something changed in Faith's eyes; they became hard, yet sad at the same time.

"Anya was bitten," Faith murmured, dropping her sandwich back into its wrapper. Though she was hungry, she felt vaguely nauseous when she remembered the blood pouring from the wound on Anya's shoulder.

"Damn," Liz muttered.

"We had to leave her behind," Faith continued. "She was going to turn."

"Did she?" Liz asked.

"I don't know," Faith shrugged. "She kept one of the guns."

"This is pretty bad, isn't it?" Liz said softly. "I mean, we're not going to make it, are we?"

Faith smiled slightly. "I don't think so," she replied.

Liz nodded and looked down at the ground. "It's weird how your life can change so drastically in so little time. I was trying to pick colleges. I was planning my future. Now I don't have one."

"I never really planned anything," Faith said. "Things just seemed to happen to put me on certain paths. I've been running my whole life. I guess this really isn't all that different."

"What should we do?" Liz asked. "Sit here until our food runs out and we starve to death? Or wait until the zombies figure out that we're here? Or should we run and try to find some other safe place to stay for a while, until that becomes dangerous too?"

"I don't know," Faith said with frustration. "And I don't think that it's going to be my decision."

"What do you mean?" Liz asked curiously.

Faith nodded to the three soldiers, who had joined Riley on the second floor. They were talking amongst themselves, gesturing emphatically. "I think they've got a plan and I don't think that they're going to let anyone else have a say in it."

"I don't trust them," Liz mumbled.

"Me neither," Faith agreed. "But right now, we don't have a choice."

Buffy scanned the second level, hoping to find Faith. She could feel the other girl's energy buzzing inside of her mind. She focused on it, letting her eyes drift to a corner of the room, where she finally spotted Faith sitting in the shadows with a young girl. "Who is that?" Buffy asked, motioning to Liz.

"That's Liz," Joyce answered. "She and her father saved me when the zombies attacked. Until Faith came, we were hiding on the roof of the sporting goods store."

"Where's her father now?" Buffy inquired.

Joyce shook her head. "He didn't make it."

Buffy nodded, nibbling at her food. Willow and Tara were devouring their prepackaged sandwiches eagerly. It had been some time since they had eaten anything substantial. Giles watched Buffy with interest. "You're concerned for her, aren't you?" He asked quietly.

"Who?" She asked, looking over at him. He was sitting next to her, lighting one of the many candles littering the Bronze with a match. Night was descending on Sunnydale and the club was cloaked in dark shadows. Tiny candles flickered everywhere, providing the only light.

"Faith," Giles answered.

"I'll be back," Buffy muttered, dodging the question, and rising to her feet. She walked over to where Faith was sitting and stood awkwardly before the dark haired Slayer and her young companion. "Do you mind if I join you?" She asked, after several long moments of silence. Liz looked back and forth between the two women and smiled slightly.

"I'm kinda tired anyway," she said, faking a yawn. "I think I'm gonna go back with the others."

Before Faith could respond, Liz was walking away, and Buffy had sat down next to her. "Are you okay?" Buffy asked, looking over at her concernedly.

"Five by five," Faith muttered, picking at her sandwich again.

"Aren't you hungry?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Faith acknowledged. "I just don't think that I can eat right now."

Buffy sighed deeply. "I'm sorry about Anya," she said softly.

Faith felt tears stinging her eyes again and looked down. "Me too," she murmured.

"It's okay, you know," Buffy said, looking down at the floor as well, "if you want to talk to me…about anything. I'll listen this time."

"You promise?" Faith asked, looking over at her keenly.

"I promise," Buffy nodded, catching her eyes. Buffy could feel the intensity of the other girl's gaze piercing her very soul. That intensity had scared the blonde Slayer at first, back when Faith had just arrived in Sunnydale, but now she found it comforting. Its familiarity soothed her. She studied Faith's face, noticing her full, red lips. They were parted slightly and Buffy could hear her breathing gently, air escaping from her mouth. Looking up into Faith's eyes, Buffy was surprised to see a wealth of emotions lingering in them. She could not recognize many of the things flitting through Faith's face at that moment, but she clearly saw the sadness lying underneath of everything. "Come here," Buffy said, shifting so that her legs were folded underneath her. "Lay down."

"What?" Faith asked in confusion.

"Just do it," Buffy said, guiding the dark haired Slayer's head into her lap. Faith laid down, resting her head on Buffy's legs. Closing her eyes, she suddenly felt very tired. Buffy reached down and absently ran her hand through the younger girl's hair, caressing her gently. "I wonder about things, some times," Buffy began softly. "What would have happened if I had helped you. What would have happened if I hadn't become so obsessed with Angel and forgotten about everything else in my life," she said regretfully. "I know that things could have happened much differently if I had just done one little thing different somewhere. I didn't want to kill you the night I came to your apartment."

"Buffy," Faith started, but the older girl cut her off.

"No," she said. "It's okay. I have to say this," she whispered. Faith shut her mouth and closed her eyes again, letting the blonde Slayer's words wash over her. "I wanted to hurt you. I hate to admit that, but I did. I wanted vengeance for what you did to Angel. I couldn't see past him. I lost complete control to him. I finally realized something though, when I look back on our last fight."

"What?" Faith asked softly. The feel of Buffy's fingers running through her dark hair, and the feel of her fingernails grazing her scalp, calmed the younger girl considerably.

"You never wanted to hurt me," Buffy stated. "We fought, but you could have beaten me. You didn't hit me as hard as I hit you. You were holding back," she acknowledged. "I even knew it then, but I ignored it. I didn't want to know why. I didn't care why. I only cared about Angel, even though we didn't love each other the same way anymore," she said. "You let me win. Now I want to know why…for some reason, I think it's really important."

"What happened to Angel?" Faith asked, ignoring Buffy's question. The Blonde Slayer did not seem to notice.

"I cured him," Buffy replied.

"How?" Faith questioned.

"With my blood," Buffy sighed. "He fought with us on graduation day, but he left when everything was over. Went to Los Angeles."

"And Riley?" Faith asked.

"Riley isn't Angel. That's why I went out with him. He was normal…well, except for the whole thing about being a soldier for a secret government organization devoted to capturing and studying demons," Buffy responded. "I guess what I'm trying to say with all of this is that I forgive you," Buffy said quietly. "Can we just start over?"

Faith smiled against Buffy's leg. "Yeah," she answered. "We can."

"Good," Buffy nodded. Leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes. Silence fell between them and she heard Faith's breath even as sleep took her. Riley was not Angel and that was the main reason why she started dating him in the first place. Buffy looked down at the sleeping Slayer and smiled sadly. "He wasn't you either," she whispered.


	13. The Angry Things That We Say

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming.

Previously:

"I guess what I'm trying to say with all of this is that I forgive you," Buffy said quietly. "Can we just start over?"

Faith smiled against Buffy's leg. "Yeah," she answered. "We can."

"Good," Buffy nodded. Leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes. Silence fell between them and she heard Faith's breath even as sleep took her. Riley was not Angel and that was the main reason why she started dating him in the first place. Buffy looked down at the sleeping Slayer and smiled sadly. "He wasn't you either," she whispered.

Chapter Twelve: The Angry Things That We Say:

_"Happy birthday," Faith muttered disgustedly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was thirteen years old and the only things that she had received for her birthday were a cut on her cheek and a black eye. Her mother never remembered her birthday, but every year, Faith hoped that she would remember if for nothing more than to prove that somewhere, deep inside, her mother really did love her. The light above the mirror flickered as the bulb began to die. Faith grabbed a tissue, ran it gently under the sink, and pressed it against her cheek._

_She flinched, unconsciously pulling away the tissue. It was red with blood. Shaking her head, she blotted away the blood running down her face. Her mother had left with Craig, another man in her endless stream of deadbeat boyfriends. But he had connections with a cheap heroin dealer and her mother would do anything for a hit. Faith dropped the tissue into the overflowing trashcan and sat down on the dirty, cracked tile of the bathroom floor, holding her head in her hands._

_She wanted to cry; she felt like she should cry. Her face was throbbing with pain. Already, her eye was starting to swell. But when she tried to cry, no tears fell. Groaning with frustration, she slammed her hand down on the tile. The skin of her knuckles split and blood gushed out of the new wound. Looking down at her hand, she laughed. She no longer felt any physical pain from her wounds, just a dull ache that spread through her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. Pulling in a haggard gasp of air, she closed her eyes, and pressed her head against the wall. _

_A sudden knock at the door brought her back into the world. "It's open," Faith called, struggling to rise to her feet. _

_"Faith?" A voice answered. She heard the door slowly creak open and hesitant footsteps started towards her._

_"I'm in the bathroom," she replied, searching through the cabinets below the sink to find something with which to bandage her hand._

_"Hey," Christy said, appearing before the bathroom door. "Jesus, what happened to you?" She asked, rushing forward, and placing her hand gently on Faith's shoulder. _

_Faith shrugged her off and turned away. "Nothing," she muttered._

_"Please," Christy said. "Don't even give me some bullshit response about walking into a doorknob."_

_"I didn't walk into a fucking doorknob," Faith replied angrily._

_"So what happened?" Christy pressed gently._

_Faith shook her head. "My mother's new boyfriend," she said disgustedly. "I must have pissed him off. I don't know. I just walked in the door and he started beating on me."_

_"Are you okay?" Christy asked, kneeling before Faith as she sat on the edge of the grease ringed bathtub. _

_"Five by five," Faith mumbled in response. Christy smiled slightly._

_"Let me see your hand," she said. Reaching forward, she unclenched Faith's shaking fist. "How did you do this?" She asked._

_"I hit the floor," Faith responded. "I was just so angry. I didn't mean to."_

_"I know," Christy nodded sympathetically, rising to her feet. Grabbing a washrag, she ran it under warm water and moved back to where Faith was sitting. She pressed it gently against Faith's knuckles, her brow furrowing with concern when the dark haired girl gasped audibly in pain. "I'm sorry," she said anxiously_

_Faith smiled quickly. "It's okay," Faith reassured her. "It doesn't hurt that much."_

_"Yes it does," Christy said, "I can see it in your face."_

_"I'll be alright," Faith insisted. _

_"Yeah?" Christy asked. "You promise?"_

_Faith smiled softly and nodded. "I promise."_

_"Good," Christy smiled in return. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said, reaching into her jacket pocket. "I got you this." She pulled out a shiny, silver chain bracelet and handed it to Faith. "Happy birthday," she said sincerely._

_Faith accepted the gift and smiled, sliding it onto her wrist. "Thanks," she said, her voice raw with emotion. _

_"You okay?" Christy asked, nudging her knee._

_"Yeah," Faith said, laughing embarrassedly. "It's just…you're the only person who ever gets me anything for my birthday."_

_"Really?" Christy asked in surprise._

_Faith nodded. "My mother always forgets," she said softly. _

_Christy leaned forward, placing her hands on the sides of the bathtub next to Faith's legs. "Forget about her," Christy said firmly. "You don't need her."_

_"No?" Faith said amusedly._

_"No," Christy smiled widely. "You've got me."_

_"Do I?" Faith asked. Christy's expression suddenly turned serious as she leaned forward, until her lips were only inches away from Faith's. _

_"Is this okay?" She asked uncertainly. Faith unconsciously licked her lips and nodded. Christy closed the distance between them, pressing her lips softly against Faith's. The kiss was gentle. Their lips moved together and, momentarily, Faith felt like she was completely weightless. Christy moaned into her mouth, bringing Faith back into the moment. She felt the other girl's tongue slid across her lips, seeking entrance. Faith opened her mouth further, caressing Christy's tongue with her own. Finally, Christy pulled away. "I need to tell you something," she said, her cheeks flushed with desire and her voice heavy._

_"What?" Faith asked in a rough, gravelly voice filled with passion._

_"I love you," Christy whispered, looking down at the floor. "I don't want to freak you out, but I can't keep that in anymore. I just needed to tell you."_

_Faith reached down and lifted the other girl's face with her fingertips. "I love you too," she whispered back._

_"You do?" Christy asked, tears of relief filling her eyes._

_Faith smiled softly. "You're the only person that I could."_

……………………………….

Faith groaned and shifted, opening her eyes slightly. Sunlight was streaming in the windows of the Bronze. The bright light pierced her eyes and she quickly shut them again. "Too bright," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes absently. Suddenly, she realized that she was laying on someone. Looking up, she saw Buffy still sleeping, propped up against the wall. She was lying in the blonde Slayer's lap, with her cheek pressed against the girl's leg. She panicked, wondering if Buffy knew the position in which she was laying.

The older girl stirred in her sleep, slowly opening her eyes. "Hey," she said, looking down at the younger girl, her voice rough. Stretching her arms, she smiled at Faith.

Faith sat up, brushing a hand through her dark hair. "Hey," Faith returned.

"Did you sleep well?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"It's okay," Buffy smiled gently. "I didn't want to move you. You looked so peaceful."

Faith laughed softly and rose to her feet. "Brand new day," she murmured.

"We're going to figure all of this out," Buffy reassured her.

"What do you think they have up their sleeves?" Faith asked, nodding towards the Initiative soldiers.

"I don't know," Buffy shrugged.

"Do you trust them?" Faith questioned.

"Of course I trust Riley," Buffy replied quickly.

"I didn't ask if you trusted Riley," Faith noted. "I just asked if you trusted them."

"The Initiative?" Buffy asked. Faith nodded. "I don't know."

"Everybody!" Riley called. "Can you gather around please? We wanted to discuss our next move."

"Our next move?" Faith muttered. "This cannot be good."

"What makes you think that they're so bad?" Buffy asked with frustration.

"I just have a feeling," Faith replied cryptically.

The survivors housed in the Bronze gathered on the second level, taking seats at various places where they could see the four soldiers standing before them. Riley stood in the center, his gun holstered at his hip. The other three soldiers stood behind him, their guns resting comfortably in their hands. "I'm sure none of you have a great frame of reference when it comes to military protocol," Riley began, "but I'm the senior officer here, so technically, that puts me in charge."

"In charge?" A woman asked hesitatingly. Faith looked over at her, noticing that she did not recognize half of the people around her.

"It may not seem like it, but this whole matter is of military concern," Riley explained. "We're in a war zone and that means marshal law."

"What does that mean?" Faith asked suspiciously.

Riley caught her tone, his eyes narrowing. "That means you do what I say." Faith laughed silently, looking down at the ground. "When you all were dropped off here," Riley continued, ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of his mind about Faith, "these soldiers were issued orders to stay here until they were picked up again," he said, motioning to the three men standing behind him. "Now, it's been two weeks and no one has come. Though I'm hesitant to leave this place, I believe that we'll have to sometime soon. However, I want to wait a couple of more days at least to try to give our guys some more time to rescue us."

"Do you really think that they're coming to get us?" Faith asked.

"Yes, I do," Riley answered firmly.

"That's bullshit," Faith muttered. "They're not coming and you know it."

"I don't know any such thing," Riley answered.

"How long do you want us to wait around?" Faith asked. "Until we have nothing left? We should leave now, while we still have supplies. At least we'd have a shot."

"You're not in charge here," Riley answered. "When you are, we can do whatever you want. But until then, we do what I say. And that's it."

"Or what?" Faith challenged him. The three soldiers behind Riley stepped forward, raising their guns slightly.

"Like I said, this is marshal law. We don't have time to deal with people who don't want to cooperate," Riley replied.

"So what," Faith sneered, "you'll just shoot me?"

Riley smiled grimly. "If it comes to that," he answered enigmatically.

"Riley," Buffy admonished.

"No, Buffy," Riley said dismissively, his voice tinged with frustration. "I've been trained to deal with situations like this. I've been trained to survive. I know what we need to do to get out of here alive. She doesn't. From what I've gathered, she shouldn't be in any kind of leadership position, and she definitely shouldn't have any kind of weapon. You're dangerous," he said to Faith, "and if you want to stay alive, I suggest you fall in line."

"Are you threatening me?" Faith asked incredulously, stepping forward. The soldiers raised their guns to chest level. Buffy reached out and grabbed Faith's elbow, pulling her back before things escalated out of control.

"Let it go," she whispered.

"No way," Faith said angrily.

"The last thing I need is for you to get shot," Buffy said. "Just let it go."

"What do you care?" Faith asked in frustration.

"I _do_ care," Buffy said heatedly. "Maybe if you would open your eyes you would realize that."

Buffy stormed away, leaving Faith staring after her with confusion written on her face. "What does that mean?" She asked no one in particular. Riley had heard the entire exchange between the two women. Frowning, he dismissed his soldiers and followed after Buffy.

"That's all," he said to the group, who began to disperse as well.

"Hey," he said, catching up with her. "Are you okay?" He asked when she turned to face him.

"I'm fine," she said distractedly.

"Because I'm sensing some tension between you and Faith," Riley said.

"You would really shoot her?" Buffy asked angrily. "You don't have any right to do that."

"I have to keep control in here," Riley said defensively. "If she questions every move that I make, no one will listen to me."

"She has every right to question you," Buffy nearly shouted. "These are our lives that we're talking about. This isn't some op to bring back a demon. This is life and death now, Riley."

"I know that!" Riley shouted. Pausing, he took a deep breath, regaining control of his temper. "I know that," he repeated softly. "I'm doing the best that I can. Faith is dangerous. I don't like you being around here."

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, pushing past him. "But you don't get to choose my friends."

"I didn't think she was your friend," Riley said, following her. "Willow told me all about her last night. She tried to kill you and all of your real friends."

"No, she didn't," Buffy defended her.

"Really?" Riley asked disbelievingly. "Willow tells the story a bit differently."

"What do you want me to say?" Buffy asked, turning back to face him. "I'm not giving up on her because she made a mistake."

"Some people aren't worth trying to save," Riley said gravely.

"Maybe you're right," Buffy acknowledged. "But I'm not giving up on her again."

"I don't have time for this," Riley said, shaking his head as he moved away from her.

"Time for what?" Buffy asked.

"I can't believe that you'd be defending her after all that she did to you. I'm just trying to keep people alive and you're acting like I'm some kind of villain," Riley said angrily.

"Maybe you are," Buffy said defiantly.

"What does that mean?" Riley asked incredulously.

"Maybe Faith is right. Maybe the Initiative is the reason for all of this. We don't know. I don't trust those guys," she said, pointing to the other three soldiers. "They're way too trigger happy for my liking."

"They're trained soldiers. They know what they're doing," Riley said in defense of his men.

"I'm a trained soldier too," Buffy replied. "Maybe not trained like you are. But I've trained for a long time to fight things like those zombies. So has Faith. Maybe you should listen to us."

"This is a military situation," Riley repeated. "And it will be handled by the military."

"I can't be around you right now," Buffy said disgustedly.

"What're you trying to say?" Riley pressed.

"I'm saying that I don't want to see you anymore. You're not the person that I thought you were," Buffy replied heatedly.

"You're breaking up with me? Are you serious?" Riley asked.

"Yes," Buffy stated. "I'm serious."

"This is because of Faith, isn't it?" Riley said knowingly.

"No," Buffy frowned, "this is not because of Faith."

"Oh please, Buffy," he laughed, "I've seen the way you look at her."

"I don't look at her in any particular way," Buffy said defensively.

"Yes, you do," Riley stated. "You look at her like I want you to look at me."

"No, I don't," Buffy grumbled.

"I hope you're very happy together," Riley said bitterly. "You two deserve each other."

Buffy turned back, watching him walk away. Looking across the room, she saw Faith sitting by one of the windows. The younger girl's face was turned away, but she could see her reflection in the glass. A certain peacefulness had fallen over Faith, something which Buffy had never before seen in her. "What was that about?" Willow asked, walking up to Buffy.

"I just broke up with Riley," Buffy sighed.

"Why?" Willow asked with concern, touching her friend's arm lightly.

"I don't know," Buffy shrugged. "It just didn't feel right anymore."

"I'm sorry," Willow said sympathetically.

"He didn't take it well," Buffy stated.

"I got that by the raised voices and the angry faces," Willow replied.

"How are you and Tara?" Buffy asked, looking over at her best friend.

"We're good," Willow nodded. "I think Tara is still in shock about everything."

"Yeah?" Buffy asked. "Maybe Giles should talk with her."

"Maybe," Willow nodded.

"How did you know?" Buffy asked, looking down at the floor.

"How did I know what?" Willow asked in confusion.

"How did you know that you loved her?" Buffy asked. "I mean, did you just _know_, or did it take time?"

"I just knew," Willow said, smiling at the memory of the night she had gone to Tara's dorm room after Oz had left for the final time. There had been a blackout and she had brought the shy, blonde girl a candle. "Why're you asking?" Willow asked suspiciously.

"No reason," Buffy said, shaking her head.

"Well, I'm gonna go check on Tara, see if she wants anything to eat," Willow said. "I'm sorry about Riley."

"Thanks," Buffy replied absently. Willow walked away, leaving her standing alone. She looked back to where Faith had been sitting, but the dark haired girl was no longer there.


	14. Authority and Legitimacy

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!

Previously:

"Well, I'm gonna go check on Tara, see if she wants anything to eat," Willow said. "I'm sorry about Riley."

"Thanks," Buffy replied absently. Willow walked away, leaving her standing alone. She looked back to where Faith had been sitting, but the dark haired girl was no longer there.

Chapter Thirteen: Authority and Legitimacy:

_Christy awoke to a consistent, gentle tapping at her window. Groaning, she rolled over in bed, and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at her alarm clock and noted that it nearly was three o'clock in the morning. Disengaging herself from her blankets, she stumbled over to the window, desperately fighting away the creeping fingers of the Sandman, which threatened to pull her back into the world of dreams. Moving aside her curtains, she was unsurprised to find Faith standing on the fire escape, tapping softly on the window. The dark haired girl stopped when she saw Christy and smiled lopsidedly. Christy smiled, shook her head, and yanked open the window. Stepping aside, she watched Faith crawl clumsily through the window into her bedroom._

_"Hey," Faith said, smiling awkwardly at her when she was standing upright again._

_"Hey," Christy returned sleepily. "Your mother and her boyfriend fighting again?" She asked sympathetically._

_"They were throwing things," Faith shrugged. "I couldn't sleep."_

_"Funny, I wasn't having any problem with that," the other girl replied jokingly._

_"I know," Faith apologized. "I'm sorry. Do you want me to go?"_

_"No," Christy said instantly, clamping her hand on Faith's arm as the dark haired girl turned to leave. "I don't want you to go."_

_"Are you sure?" Faith questioned waveringly. _

_"Come on," Christy nodded, sliding her hand down Faith's arm until she was squeezing the other girl's fingers. She walked back over to her bed, picking her way carefully in the dark, and pulling Faith along behind her. _

_"I can sleep on the floor," Faith suggested, stopping suddenly when they reached the bed._

_"Are you kidding?" Christy asked incredulously. "You're not gonna sleep on the floor."_

_"Are you sure that you're okay with this?" Faith asked uncertainly, closing her eyes briefly when Christy squeezed her hand reassuringly. _

_"Are you?" Christy replied, watching as the tension left Faith's shoulders and she smiled softly._

_"I'm fine with it," Faith said. "I'll take any chance that I can get to be close to you."_

_Christy smiled and blushed, looking down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at her girlfriend. "Let's go to sleep then," she said quietly. _

_Faith nodded and climbed into the bed, pressing the length of her body against Christy's back. The other girl's hair tickled at Faith's nose and she smiled. Hesitantly, she placed her hand on Christy's slim waist, smiling when her girlfriend grabbed her hand and placed it on her stomach. Faith breathed in deeply, relishing the vanilla scent of the other girl's shampoo. The light of the moon was streaming in the window and Faith let her eyes wander over to the glass, losing herself in the darkness of the night. _

_"What were they fighting about?" Christy asked softly, bringing Faith back into the moment. Faith shrugged and buried her face in the side of Christy's neck. She could feel the other girl's pulse pounding steadily beneath her skin._

_"I don't know," Faith replied after several long moments. "I don't care."_

_"Faith," Christy started, rolling over to look at her girlfriend. _

_"Not right now, okay?" Faith asked desperately. "I don't want to think abut anything right now, except being here with you."_

_"You don't have to put up with their shit, you know?" Christy said, pressing her hand lovingly against Faith's cheek, as her eyes inventoried all of the places on her girlfriend's face where bruises and cuts had adorned. Faith closed her eyes, leaning slightly into her warm touch._

_"We start our first year of high school tomorrow, right?" Faith asked. Christy nodded. "I only have to put up with it for four more years, and then I'm gone."_

_"You don't always have to be strong," Christy reminded her._

_"Yes, I do," Faith said firmly, but gently. Before Christy could protest, she leaned in, capturing the other girl's lips in a tender kiss. _

_"That's no fair," Christy grumbled half-heartedly when Faith pulled away. "I can't argue with you when you're kissing me."_

_"That's kinda the point," Faith noted jokingly._

_Christy smiled and burrowed closer to Faith, resting her head against the other girl's chest, relishing the feel of her girlfriend's heart beating against her cheek. "You can always talk to me, you know?" She said._

_"I know," Faith acknowledged, closing her eyes. "One of these days, I will." _

……………………………

"I can't believe that I just did that," Buffy mumbled, sitting down at what had been the bar of the Bronze, until zombies had taken over Sunnydale, and effectively ended the world as she had known it. "I can't believe that I broke up with him. What the hell is wrong with me? He was such a great guy. And what the hell was he talking about Faith for? What does she have to do with anything?"

"W-who're you talking to?" Tara asked, walking cautiously up to the blonde Slayer. Buffy looked up sharply, noticing for the first time that she was sitting alone at the bar talking to herself.

"Myself apparently," she noted sarcastically.

"M-mind if I join you?" Tara asked, motioning to the stool next to the other girl.

Buffy smiled softly and shook her head. "Not at all," she replied.

"Willow told me t-that you broke up with R-riley," Tara said sympathetically.

"Yes, I did," Buffy acknowledged. "Of course, now that I look back on it, I have no idea why I did."

"What d-do you mean?" Tara asked.

"Riley is such a great guy," Buffy answered. "And it's not like there's many fish in the proverbial sea anymore, what with zombies having killed everyone."

"You're r-regretting your decision?" Tara inquired.

"I don't know if I'm regretting it," Buffy said thoughtfully. "I just don't know if it was the best decision that I could have made at that moment."

"Why did you b-break up with him?" Tara asked curiously, though she thought that she already knew the answer to her own question. She had seen how gentle Buffy had been with Faith since they had returned to the Bronze. When Buffy and Faith had fallen asleep together the night before, Tara could have sworn that the blonde Slayer was touching her counterpart almost lovingly.

"He can just be so frustrating," Buffy said angrily. "He's all about the Initiative…all of that shit out this being a military operation. It's not a military operation, it's a Slayer operation. Those are zombies out there, not enemy combatants," Buffy fumed, gesturing wildly at the door.

"Y-you don't think Riley is q-qualified to lead us?" Tara asked.

"No," Buffy sighed. "I don't think that he is. But I don't think that we have much of a choice but to follow him."

"We don't have to f-follow him," Tara reminded her.

"I think he pretty effectively took charge," Buffy said dismissively.

"The rest of these p-people, they may want to f-follow him because he's a s-soldier," Tara explained. "B-but I would rather follow y-you and I know that Willow would t-too."

"You want me to lead you?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"I'm j-just saying," Tara said, smiling conspiratorially, "that if you w-wanted to take the power back, I wouldn't c-complain."

"But they have the guns," Buffy reminded her.

"Not a-all of them," Tara replied.

"Actually, they do now," Liz said, walking up to them worriedly.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Liz said. "But I thought that you should know that the soldiers are taking all of the guns. They said that they want to hold them for our protection."

"You've got to be shitting me," Buffy said, jumping to her feet. "Where are they?"

"Upstairs," Liz answered as Buffy stormed by her.

"W-where's Faith?" Tara asked, rising to her feet.

"I don't know," Liz shrugged. "I tried to find her, but I found Buffy first."

Buffy raced up the stairs to the second level of the Bronze, just in time to see the soldiers dumping all of their guns, knives, and ammunition into a large, black trash bag. "What're you doing?" Buffy asked angrily.

"It's not safe for guns to be in the hands of civilians," Riley said, turning to face her.

"Bullshit," Buffy said. "Faith and I both know how to handle guns. So does Liz.""Faith?" Riley asked with a knowing smile. "You want me to give a gun to Faith? How many times do I have to tell you that she's dangerous? She should be in prison. She's a murderer."

"This isn't about Faith," Buffy dismissed him. "Let me keep a gun. I need to know that I can protect my friends."

"This isn't about you either," Riley replied stolidly as the solders finished gathering the guns. "Take them downstairs," he said to them, grabbing one man by the arm as he tried to pass. "And don't let anyone see where you put them," he whispered. The other man nodded and followed his companions down the stairs."

"This is a mistake," Buffy warned.

"Like I said before," Riley reminded her. "This is a military operation. I will not have guns in the hands of civilians for as long as I can help it. It's just not safe. One false move and we could have people shooting at each other for no reason."

"That's not going to happen," Buffy insisted.

"Not if all of the guns are in the hands of trained professionals," Riley nodded.

"Riley," Giles interrupted slowly, "I think Buffy is right. At least give us one gun for protection."

"No," Riley shook his head. "If I give you one gun, I'll have to give everyone else one gun too. The guns stay with us. That's final," he said, pushing passed Buffy, and descending the stairs.

"This is crazy," Buffy said in exasperation. "He's gonna get us all killed."

"He's just doing what he thinks is best," Giles replied.

"What if the zombies attack us, Giles?" Buffy asked. "How are we gonna protect ourselves? With the power of optimism?"

"I think the general idea is that the soldiers will protect us," Joyce replied grimly.

"That's just great," Buffy snorted. "We're sitting ducks."

"Let's just see how this plays out," Giles suggested.

"He's right," Liz said as she and Tara joined the others on the second level. "The zombies haven't attack so far, what makes you think that they will?"

"I don't know," Buffy shook her head. "I just don't like how any of this is going down."

"L-like you said," Tara added, "Riley is a g-good man. Maybe he knows what h-he's doing."

Buffy looked around at her friends, frowning slightly. "Where are Faith and Willow?"

………………………………

Faith slipped into the backroom of the Bronze, closing the door behind her. "I wish I had some cigarettes," she muttered, sitting on a packing crate in the dark. Sunlight streamed under the crack of the door, but the room remained effectively cloaked in shadow. Though she had been enjoying the quality time that she and Buffy had been spending, she desperately needed time alone to gather her thoughts. Ever since she woke up from her coma, she felt like she had been running constantly, never having a moment to stop and think about what had happened to her, or the world.

She did not feel like she belonged with the rest of the people in the Bronze. For some reason, the Powers that Be, or God, had spared her life, choosing instead to take the lives of nearly everyone else in town. Faith did not understand why she had not been killed in the attack. "What did I ever do to deserve life?" She questioned silently. "I should be dead." Sighing, she closed her eyes, and laid her head back against the wall. The days were starting to become shorter as fall progressed and summer waned. Though the temperature inside of the Bronze was comfortable during the day, she had found herself becoming quite chilled at night. Fortunately, winters in Sunnydale were not much different than fall in Sunnydale, save for the occasional, near miraculous snow.

Winters in Boston had been quite different. It had taken her some time to adjust to the change that California had brought when she first arrived in town. The sun was always shining and the sky was always clear. Sometimes, she just wanted it to rain. She remembered watching the rain cascading down the dirty window of her mother's apartment. She had always enjoyed the rain; some part of her believed that when it rained, God was crying for all of the pain in the world. She felt connected in those moments to something greater, like somewhere, someone felt how miserable she was, and cared that she was hurting.

But it never rained in Sunnydale and no one ever cared how much she hurt. Something was happening outside; she could hear raised voices again. One of them sounded like Buffy's voice. Though she could have listened, her Slayer hearing allowing her the privilege, she blocked out the sounds, relishing the silence of the darkness of the back room. The Bronze had been one of her favorite places in Sunnydale. Though she had bad memories of nearly everywhere else, she could not remember anything negative happening to her in the club. She clearly remembered, however, her dance with Buffy the night that she had killed Allen Finch.

That night, she had felt a spark of something that she had not felt in a long time. "Since…," Faith whispered, letting her voice trail off as she remembered her first girlfriend. She smiled slightly, though her smile was one filled with sadness and regret. When she and Buffy had danced that night, she felt as though, perhaps, the blonde girl could have been someone special for her, like the Powers that Be were giving her another chance at happiness. The feel of Buffy's body so close to hers aroused her in both body and spirit. Buffy brought her back to life, only to send her back into the darkness of death again.

"Death," Faith murmured. The word seemed perpetually stuck in her mind. Death surrounded her always. It seemed as though everyone she opened her heart to was destined to die. She had been starting to enjoy truly the company of Anya, when the ex-vengeance demon was so violently ripped away from her. Leaning forward so that her elbows were resting on her knees, she cupped her face in her hands. She still could not believe that Anya was gone. It had all happened so quickly. She felt as though she should have been able to do something to prevent her death.

She was a Slayer; it was her duty to protect innocents. Yet, she always seemed to fail in that respect. Tears stung at her eyes as she thought of Anya, and all of the other people in her life that she had failed. Instead of blinking them away, Faith let them fall silently down her cheeks, until she was sobbing into her hands. She knew that she had to be strong, if not for herself, for Liz and the other people that she was starting to consider her friends in such a trying time. But, for the moment, she allowed herself to be weak.

……………………………………

Willow paused as she walked up to the door leading to the back room of the Bronze. She had followed Faith, hoping to have a moment alone to talk with the other girl. There were still so many things that she wanted to say, so much anger built up over the events surrounding Faith's ultimate betrayal of her and her friends. However, as she reached for the doorknob, she heard the distinct sound of someone crying. When Faith had broken down into tears in the back of the car, Willow had dismissed the girl's grief as a show designed to persuade Buffy to give her a second chance. Faith was a master at playing with people's minds and emotions. Willow was quite aware of how talented Faith was at manipulating people. However, as she stood with her hand resting on the doorknob, listening to Faith cry silently and alone in the dark, she knew that the former rogue Slayer's grief was genuine. Backing away from the door, she turned to rejoin the others.


	15. Culmination

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!

Previously:

She was a Slayer; it was her duty to protect innocents. Yet, she always seemed to fail in that respect. Tears stung at her eyes as she thought of Anya, and all of the other people in her life that she had failed. Instead of blinking them away, Faith let them fall silently down her cheeks, until she was sobbing into her hands. She knew that she had to be strong, if not for herself, for Liz and the other people that she was starting to consider her friends in such a trying time. But, for the moment, she allowed herself to be weak.

Chapter Fourteen: Culmination:

_The rain was pouring down in steady sheets, soaking Faith's clothes through to her skin. Wrapping her arms tightly around her body, she shivered absently as she trudged home from school. Usually, she and Christy would walk to and from school together, but that afternoon, her girlfriend had to stay behind for detention, though the circumstances surrounding her punishment were mostly Faith's fault. Some boys had been taunting Faith at lunch. Unable to hold her temper in check any longer, she punched one of them in the face. Christy had walked into the cafeteria just in time to see it happen. Rushing over to Faith's side, she knocked the boy down as he was trying to stand again. _

_Unfortunately, the principal walked into the cafeteria at that moment as well and saw Christy pushing a student with a broken nose. Assuming that she had caused the fight, he punished her instead of Faith. The dark haired girl had tried to speak up for her girlfriend's defense, but Christy had silenced her, knowing that Faith could not have afforded another detention. She was skating on thin ice as it was, having caused more fights than she could remember. The boys did not care which girl was punished, so long as someone paid for their friend's injury and Christy was awarded detentions for the week as a result. Faith kicked a soda can down the sidewalk, sighing deeply. She knew that Christy was worried about her temper. She knew that it was not right to lash out at people with little to no provocation, but she could not seem to stop herself from resorting to violence to solve her problems. _

_Her apartment building finally came into view. Pulling open the front door, she slipped inside of the building, happy to be free from the rain. December had just begun, marking the halfway point of her and Christy's first year of high school. However, December also brought in the cold and Faith was starting to feel it. Her mother's apartment was on the third floor and Faith tiredly began the walk up the flight of stairs, ignoring the flickering light bulb illuminating the stairwell, which cast uneasy shadows on the ground. The stairwell smelled of urine and another substance that Faith could not identify. Blocking out the smells, she focused on placing one foot in front of the other. She always hated this part of her walk home._

_When she had left school, she knew that she still had several blocks to walk until she would reach her building. During that time, she could pretend that she was walking to anywhere else in the city. Even when she finally reached the building, she still believed that she had the option to pass it by and continue on her way to somewhere else. However, once she had stepped onto the first stair, she had to accept the fact that she was trapped in a life that she mostly despised. She hoped that her mother was not home. The apartment was not as bad when she was alone in it. She finally reached the third floor and opened the door leading to the hallway. Another flickering light bulb greeted her. Sighing, she stood in the doorway. She could see her door just down the hall._

_She forcibly had to propel her feet forward. Reaching her door, she shoved her key in the lock and turned it. The door slipped open and she walked into the dingy, tiny apartment. The television was turned on, but the screen was blue. Glancing down at the stained sofa, she noticed that her mother's latest boyfriend was sitting on it, clad in boxers and a ripped, white t-shirt. He was staring into space, but when he heard the door close behind Faith, he turned to look back at her. "Hey, kiddo," he said distantly._

"_Dave," Faith nodded. He was not as bad as the other men that her mother had brought home. He was a junkie too, but he left Faith alone, for which she was grateful. _

"_Your mother's in the bathroom," Dave replied. _

"_Good for her," Faith muttered, moving over to her bedroom, which was little bigger than a walk-in closet, but it had a window and a window meant freedom. Throwing her book bag onto her mattress, which rested unceremoniously on the floor, she walked over to the window and leaned her forehead against the glass._

"_We got some good stuff," Dave's voice called to her from the living room. "If you want some."_

"_No, thanks," Faith called back disgustedly. The rain streaked down her window like mascara lined tear stains. "How long has she been in there?" Faith asked after several, long minutes had passed and her mother had yet to emerge from the bathroom._

"_I don't know," Dave said, shrugging. Faith walked back out into the living room, eyeing the bathroom door suspiciously._

"_What do you mean you don't know?" Faith questioned._

"_I lost track of time," Dave replied defensively. "I was watching TV."_

_Faith glanced back and forth between the disheveled man sitting in front of her and the blue screen television. "What were you watching, Dave?" She asked amusedly._

"_I don't remember," he snapped back. "It was something interesting though."_

"_Right," Faith shook her head as she walked over to the closed bathroom door. Knocking on it firmly, she waited. "Mom?" She asked. "What're you doing in there?" Silence greeted her. "Are you sure that she's in there?" Faith asked. "She didn't go out while you were watching TV?"_

"_I don't think so," Dave said, looking back at her. _

"_Hey," Faith called, knocking on the door again. "I'm going to open the door, okay?" She asked, waiting several moments before reaching down and gripping the doorknob tightly. Turning it, she pushed the door open. "Shit," she muttered as the room became revealed to her. Her mother was lying unconscious on the floor with a needle resting on the tile next to her arm._

"_Is she okay?" Dave asked._

"_Mom?" Faith asked, moving forward. "How much of this shit did you give her?" Faith asked, kneeling down beside her mother. Reaching out to touch the older woman's arm, she pulled away the second her fingers touched her skin. "Fuck."_

"_What?" Dave asked, rising to his feet and walking over to the bathroom._

"_She's cold," Faith murmured._

"_What do you mean?" Dave questioned, pausing in the doorway._

"_She's dead," Faith said. "She overdosed, you jackass. How much did you give her?"_

"_I didn't give her anything," Dave replied defensively, backing away from the bathroom. "She gave it to me. I don't know how much she took."_

"_We have to call the police," Faith muttered, rising to her feet._

_"Oh, hell no," Dave shook his head. "We can't call the police."_

_"We have to," Faith said incredulously. "She's dead."_

_"If the police come here and find our stash, they're gonna arrest me. I can't afford that," Dave said, disappearing into the bedroom that he had shared with Faith's mother. He reemerged several minutes later clad in jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt, and a jacket. He had a duffle bag thrown over his arm. Faith watched disbelievingly as he crossed the living room in four long strides and reached the front door._

_"Where are you going?" She asked anxiously._

_"I've gotta get out of here," Dave replied shakily. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned back to Faith, flashing her a guilty, lopsided smile. "I'm sorry, kiddo," he whispered. Pulling the door open, he disappeared into the hallway, leaving Faith standing alone in the apartment with the body of her dead mother._

………………………………

"So, what's the plan, sir?" One of the soldiers asked, looking to Riley uncertainly.

"Like I said before, we'll wait a couple of days, just to give our boys some more time to find us. Then we'll have to leave," Riley replied. "We can't wait here forever."

"Where are we going to go?" Another man asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Riley admitted. "What's the situation here?"

"Well, the phones are down," the third soldier began. "The power's out, obviously. We have enough food and water to last us awhile."

"Plus, with the guns and ammunition we took from the civilians," another continued, "we have enough weapons to withstand an attack."

"There are almost twenty people here though, sir," the first man to speak interrupted. "We can't just walk through the town; we're too big of a group."

"I agree," Riley nodded. "We'd be too big of a target. We're going to have to split up."

"What do you mean?" One of them asked.

"We'll have to do recon in the town. Try to find some school buses. Then we'll split the group up into two," Riley instructed. "Two soldiers to each bus and we'll try to rendezvous somewhere outside of town before picking an ultimate destination."

"Sir?" one of the soldiers asked anxiously. "What do you think it's like out there?"

Riley smiled grimly. "It doesn't matter," he replied. "We have to lead these people. They're looking up to us. Whatever has happened out in the world, we have to be strong."

"Of course, sir," he nodded.

"What about those two girls?" Another soldier asked. "The two civilians."

"Buffy and Faith?" Riley asked. The man nodded.

"I don't know what to do about them," he sighed. "They could cause trouble."

"We'll keep an eye on them, sir," one of the men suggested. "We've hidden the guns; they won't be able to find them."

Riley nodded, dismissing them with a flick of his wrist. The men wandered off, taking up their positions around the Bronze. "They don't need guns to be a problem," he muttered.

…………………..

Faith opened the door to the back room of the Bronze and walked into the main room of the dance club. She could see the sun beginning to sink back down towards the horizon and she wondered for how long she had been sitting by herself, crying in the dark. She looked up to the second level of the club and saw Giles and Joyce talking by the railing. The soldiers were wandering around, watching everyone suspiciously. Willow and Tara were sitting by the bar, talking lowly, and holding hands. Faith smiled slightly, watching the couple laugh intimately. She could tell that Tara was a good person. Even though Willow had not welcomed her with opened arms, Faith was happy that the red haired witch had found someone to love, though she wondered what had happened between her and Oz.

She spotted Liz grabbing a water bottle from the cooler by the stage. She started to walk forward, intending to spend some time with the younger girl, when someone grabbed her by the arm from behind, opened the door leading to the back room of the Bronze, and pushed her inside. "What the hell," Faith muttered when the door clicked closed behind her. The room was nearly pitch black inside, but Faith knew that her attacker had entered the room behind her. She could not see the person's face, but knew that he or she was standing directly in front of her.

"Don't say anything," Buffy warned.

"B?" Faith asked in confusion, instantly recognizing the energy pouring off of the blonde girl. "Why did you push me in here?"

"Would you just shut up for a minute, please?" Buffy demanded exasperatedly.

"Okay," Faith said resignedly, easing the tension out of her muscles when she realized that she was not, in fact, under attack.

"I have to talk to you," Buffy said.

"We can't talk out there?" Faith asked, motioning towards the door. Her eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness again and, finally, she could see Buffy's face. Her emerald eyes were sparkling in the darkness.

"No," Buffy shook her head quickly. "It's not safe out there."

"What're you talking about?" Faith asked in confusion.

"Riley took all of the guns," Buffy said.

"What?" Faith demanded.

"He said that they weren't safe in civilian hands," Buffy muttered angrily.

"But we're not exactly civilians," Faith countered.

"I know!" Buffy exclaimed. "I tried to remind him of that, but he wouldn't hear it."

"Why are you telling me this?" Faith asked.

"I know that he means well, but I truly believe that he's going to get all of us killed," Buffy explained.

"And this relates to me how?" Faith inquired.

"We have to take the power back," Buffy said.

"We can't do that," Faith shook her head.

"Why not?" Buffy demanded.

"They have the guns, remember? We may be Slayers and we may be able to kick all of their asses, but it only takes one bullet to kill a Slayer," Faith explained impatiently.

"You're scared," Buffy stated.

"Of course I'm scared," Faith snapped. "They're desperate and they have guns. I've never been a very big fan of guns, particularly in the hands of twitchy, anxious soldiers."

"So what do you think that we should do?" Buffy asked resignedly.

"Wait," Faith said. "They're gonna screw up eventually. When they do, we'll have a far easier time convincing all of those people out there to follow us."

"What if their screwing up gets people killed?" Buffy asked.

"I hate to break it to you," Faith said sarcastically, "but we're not all gonna survive this. You know that. It's nice to think that we'll ride out of here to safety, that the world really isn't a broken and devastated place, but it's not true."

"I know," Buffy admitted, wrapping her arms around herself.

"You know," Faith said, "I was kinda in the middle of something when you pushed me in here."

"Really?" Buffy asked sarcastically. "It looked like you were just standing there to me."

"Did you want anything else?" Faith asked impatiently, pushing past the blonde Slayer.

"Yes!" Buffy answered before she could stop the word from escaping.

Faith sighed and turned back to face the older girl. "What?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Buffy said sheepishly.

"We're talking," Faith pointed out. "We've been talking. You haven't made your point yet?"

"God, you're so frustrating sometimes," Buffy muttered.

"I'm frustrating?" Faith asked incredulously. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Buffy demanded.

"Nothing," Faith said, shaking her head. "I don't want to get into a fight with you."

"Me neither," Buffy said softly.

"So what else did you want to talk to me about?" Faith asked.

Buffy stepped forward, her eyes gleaming in the dark with an emotion that Faith could not recognize. "I broke up with Riley," she stated.

Despite her internal rejoicing, as Faith had grown to dislike the soldier, she tried to sound as sympathetic as she could. "I'm sorry," she managed to choke out, hoping that she sounded convincing.

"I'm not so sure that I am," Buffy whispered. She continued to move forward until she was standing directly in front of Faith.

Faith could feel an energy pouring off of the blonde Slayer that was quite different from the usual awareness she had of the other girl's presence. "Are you okay?" She asked lowly.

"Five by five," Buffy replied with a lopsided smile.

Faith laughed. "You stole my line."

"Faith," Buffy said, her face turning seriously. "Could you close your eyes for a minute?"

"Why?" Faith asked in confusion.

"Please?" Buffy asked.

Faith rolled her eyes and sighed. "Okay," she agreed. "But you're acting a little weird, even for you," she said, closing her eyes. "This better not end with me having something dirty written on my face."

"I know that I'm acting weird," Buffy admitted. "But the only way I'm gonna have the courage to do this is if you can't see me."

"Do what?" Faith asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, which Buffy found to be completely adorable.

"This," the blonde Slayer said as she moved one step closer, placed her hands on Faith's shoulders, leaned forward on the tips of her toes, and pressed her lips into the younger girl's in a heavy kiss laced with years of desire.


	16. Second Chances

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming!

Previously:

"Faith," Buffy said, her face turning seriously. "Could you close your eyes for a minute? I know that I'm acting weird," Buffy admitted. "But the only way I'm gonna have the courage to do this is if you can't see me."

"Do what?" Faith asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, which Buffy found to be completely adorable.

"This," the blonde Slayer said as she moved one step closer, placed her hands on Faith's shoulders, leaned forward on the tips of her toes, and pressed her lips into the younger girl's in a heavy kiss laced with years of desire.

Chapter Fifteen: Second Chances:

_The sun was starting to set as Faith and Christy walked down the cracked sidewalk leading to the motel into which Faith had checked after the death of her mother. Her mother's body had been barely resting in its grave when Faith had packed her meager belongings and left the apartment that she had called home for the greater part of her life. Though she and her mother had never had a loving relationship, Faith could not bring herself to live in the same rooms where her mother had spent her last moments of life. Whenever she walked into the bathroom, the image of her mother lying dead on the tile floor filled her vision until she could see nothing else. She could still feel the chill of the older woman's skin as death settled upon it._

_"You okay?" Christy asked quietly._

_Faith nodded absently and the other girl slipped her hand into hers. "It's getting cold again," she murmured._

_"I can't believe that he just left you like that," Christy said, referencing Faith's mother's last boyfriend, who had fled the apartment when Faith had found her mother's body. "What an asshole."_

_"He had his reasons," Faith said softly._

_"Are you sure that you're okay?" Christy pressed. "You've been quiet all day."_

_"I haven't been able to sleep," Faith replied, smiling reassuringly over at her girlfriend. "But I'm okay."_

_"I wish that you would come stay with me, if only for a little while. You shouldn't be by yourself," Christy grumbled good naturedly._

_"I don't want to be a burden," Faith shook her head._

_"You're not a burden to me, Faith," Christy insisted._

_"I know that," Faith smiled lopsidedly. "But I don't think that your parents are too fond of me."_

_"They just don't know you," Christy replied._

_"I'm not so sure that they want to know me," Faith stated._

_"You know that I don't care what they think," Christy said firmly. _

_"I just need to figure things out," Faith insisted. "One of my mother's old boyfriends gave me his phone number and told me to call him if I ever needed anything. I've been thinking about trying to get in touch with him."_

_"Do you think that he'll want to see you?" Christy asked._

_Faith shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "But it's worth a shot. He was a good guy. My mother was just too much for him. He wasn't a junkie like the others." Faith sighed deeply and gazed up into the sky. The sun had slipped below the horizon. She could see a star peeking out from behind the curtain of dark blue that covered the world. It twinkled absently and she suddenly felt the urge to cry. The streetlights started popping on, filling the sidewalk with an unnatural glow. _

_"Everything's going to be okay," Christy said softly. "You're not alone in this."_

_"I know," Faith smiled over at her gratefully. "I love you so much, you know that, right?" She asked._

_Christy nodded, smiling happily. "I know," she replied. Pulling Faith towards her, she pressed her lips against the dark haired girl's. Faith pulled away after several long moments, gently kissing Christy's forehead before they started walking again. They continued on in silence until Faith could see the outline of the motel, in which she was living, dimly hovering before them._

_"Home sweet home," she muttered sarcastically. A strange feeling crept upon her as they walked, a sense of dread filling her mind until the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. A shuffling sound from behind her caught her attention, but before she could turn, she heard a click that echoed through her mind like a deafening roar._

_"Don't move," a low, male voice growled. Faith and Christy stopped in their tracks. "Put your hands in the air," the man commanded._

_"What do you want?" Faith asked, knowing better than to risk a look back at their assailant. _

_"You got any money on you?" The man demanded._

_"No," Faith answered._

_"I do," Christy said. "It's just in my pocket."_

_"Okay," the man said. Faith could feel the looming presence of his gun just behind her head. "You," he said, tapping Faith in the back of the skull with the barrel of the gun, "step three paces to the left, get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head." Faith flinched, her heart racing wildly out of control. She detested the idea of moving away from her girlfriend's side, but when the man tapped her on the head with the gun again, she did as he had requested. The concrete of the sidewalk was rough against her knees. Placing her hands behind her head, she held her breath unconsciously, desperately hoping that the man would simply take the money and leave them alone. "Now," the man said, licking his lips, "you take your money out real slow."_

_"Okay," Christy nodded, reaching slowly down into her pocket. Pulling out a wad of crumpled bills, she handed them back to the man. Grabbing them eagerly, he counted the money._

_"This is all you got?" He asked disappointedly._

_"That's all I have," Christy confirmed. Glaring at her suspiciously, he shook his head._

_"I don't think so," he said. "You got more. Hand it over."_

_"I don't have anything else," Christy insisted. "That's all."_

_"Bullshit," the man said, gesturing wildly at her with the hand in which he held his gun. "Don't fuck with me kid," he yelled. Christy felt crystals of spit stain her neck._

_"She doesn't have anything," Faith said angrily. "Just leave us alone."_

_"Don't fuckin' tell me what to do," the man shouted. "I've go the fuckin' gun here, not you, bitch. So shut the fuck up," he said, motioning to Christy with the gun again, "and let me talk to your bitch friend here, okay?" Faith did not know whether he had intended to shoot the gun or not, but as his yelled his last word, his finger tightened on the trigger, pulling it until the gun exploded in a shot that sent a bullet hurtling through the air. The pop of the gun momentarily deafened Faith. Hitting the ground, she covered her ears. The sound died away and the smell of gun powder invaded her nostrils._

_She heard the pounding of footsteps quickly running away. She turned her head to try to find Christy and her heart stopped cold. Her girlfriend was lying on her stomach on the ground, a dark pool of blood slowly creeping out from underneath her. "Christy?" She asked hesitantly, crawling over to her. "Baby?" She asked, reaching a trembling hand forward until her fingers touched the other girl's skin, which was cooling slowly. Tears welled up in Faith's eyes. She turned her girlfriend's body over, closing her eyes when she saw the dark patch of blood staining the front of her shirt. Christy's eyes were open, but they stared lifelessly into the sky, glazed and unseeing. Faith cradled the girl's in her lap, weeping silently over her body, as night fell darkly around her._

……………………………..

Darkness flooded her mind as Faith closed her eyes. She could hear shuffling outside of the door leading to the backroom, probably a soldier pacing back and forth on the first floor of the Bronze. She could feel the blonde girl standing in front of her, breathing heavily. "But the only way I'm gonna have the courage to do this is if you can't see me," she heard Buffy say. Her brows knitted in confusion as she pondered the older girl's words.

"Do what?" She asked, listening intently to the silence that followed her question. In the long moments that passed, Faith could almost see a myriad of emotions flitting through Buffy's eyes, though her own eyes were closed.

Finally, the blonde Slayer spoke, a simple word that echoed in Faith's mind uncomprehendingly until the older girl stepped forward. "This," Buffy said softly. Faith felt hands sliding up her arms until they came to rest on her shoulders. She was about to respond when Buffy's lips crashed into her own. Instantly, the burning ache of desire filled her belly with a fire that engorged her senses until she had to moan to release the pressure that was building inside of her body. The low sound emerging from the depths of Faith's being encouraged the older girl, who lightly ran her tongue along the dark haired Slayer's bottom lip.

Sliding her hands around Buffy's waist, Faith opened her mouth further, allowing Buffy access. Their tongues met and Faith felt her knees weakening. From the first moment that she had seen the older girl, she had wanted her. Despite endless flirting and insinuation, Buffy had never seemed to understand Faith's desire, or if she did, she never acknowledged it. Now, however, as Faith caressed the blonde Slayer's back with her hands, while caressing her tongue with her own, she understood that Buffy had always known how she had felt, but she had been unable to give in to her own desires. Buffy moaned deeply, heightening Faith's arousal until she forcibly extricated herself from the grip of the other girl. Stepping back, she struggled to catch her breath. She could see Buffy's green eyes glowing in the dark, shimmering with confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" Buffy asked uncertainly.

"No," Faith shook her head instantly. "No, you didn't do anything wrong."

"So what is it?" Buffy asked, stepping closer again.

"You just did everything right, that's all," Faith murmured.

Buffy looked up at her amusedly. "I did everything right?" She asked.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted you to do that," Faith whispered huskily, her voice low with desire. Even in the dark, Buffy could see her eyes change from the deepest brown to a lustful black that seemed to glow in the light coming from underneath the door.

"Really?" Buffy asked breathlessly, stepping forward until her body was pressed against Faith's. Faith could feel the swell of her breasts lightly rubbing against her own. The friction caused her pause, made her close her eyes, and she leaned her head back against the wall, to which her back was pushed.

"Yeah," she managed to choke out. Buffy's face was only inches from her own. She could feel the other girl's warm breath tickling her skin. "Why are you doing this?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted.

"You have to figure that out," Faith said, sliding passed Buffy, who looked at her disappointedly.

"I don't understand," Buffy began.

"Look, B," Faith said, turning back to her. "I've wanted you for a long time. I feel something for you. But I don't know if you feel anything for me other than regret that you broke up with your boyfriend and you have no one else hold at night."

"That's not fair," Buffy stated.

"No," Faith shook her head. "It's not fair to me. You have to figure out why you just kissed me. I hope it's because you want the same thing that I want. But if it's not, there's too much going on right now, and I'm too tired, to let you fuck around with my head, B."

Buffy smiled resignedly. "I can't give you a reason right now," she admitted. "But I can soon. Please, just give me a chance."

"You know where to find me, B," Faith said, smiling back before she slipped out of the room. Letting the door close behind her, she stood with her back to it, her eyes closed, as she breathed out deeply. She could still feel Buffy's body pressed against her own. The feel of the blonde Slayer's lips had been intoxicating. She had not felt so alive for a long time. She could sense Buffy's energy in the room behind her. It was burning brightly like the sun, threatening to consume her. She hoped that Buffy would realize her true feelings, as she had been unable to when Faith had first arrived in Sunnydale, because she knew that she could not bear another broken heart.

…………………………..

"Willow," Giles said gently, walking up to the red haired witch, who was watching Joyce, Liz, and Tara playing cards on the floor of the second level of the Bronze.

"Yeah?" She asked, turning back to face the British Watcher.

"I wanted to talk to you for a moment," Giles began.

"What about?" Willow inquired politely.

"Let's sit," he said, motioning to a table just across the room.

"Okay," Willow replied nervously. They moved over to the table, both sitting. Willow placed her hands in her lap, fidgeting anxiously.

"I wanted to speak with you about Faith," Giles said softly.

"Faith," Willow repeated, nodding.

"We all know that what she did was incredibly wrong," Giles spoke thoughtfully. "She hurt a lot of people. She killed two. She tried to help a very evil thing destroy what was good in this town."

"Where are you going with this?" Willow questioned curiously.

Giles smiled. "What I'm trying to say is that I know that she did some very bad things. But I also know that she's trying to change."

"How do you know that?" Willow asked resignedly.

"She helped Joyce and Liz when she had no reason to," Giles reasoned. "She very well could have struck out on her own and faired much better. But she stayed with them and she brought them to safety here."

"So you just want me to forget?" Willow asked.

"No," Giles shook his head forcibly. "I don't want you to forget. I want you to talk to her. I want you to try to forgive her. For all that we know, we could be stuck together for a long time. Instead of spending that time harboring grudges towards each other, we don't we try to spend it in relative tranquility."

Willow sat thoughtfully for several long moments, smiling when she saw Tara, Joyce, and Liz erupt into laughter over something. She had heard Faith crying in the backroom of the club. Initially, she had doubted the authenticity of the Slayer's tears in the backseat of the car, shortly after Anya had died, but now she knew that the sadness Faith felt over the loss of the ex-vengeance demon was legitimate. Though she still harbored some ill will towards the younger girl, as she had held a knife to her throat, Willow thought that she could start taking steps towards forgiving the former rogue Slayer. "Okay," she finally replied. "I can give her another chance."

"You can?" Giles smiled hopefully. "I'm glad to hear you say that."

"I'm not saying that it's going to be right away," Willow cautioned. "But I'm willing to try."

Giles nodded and reached across the table, gently squeezing her hand, "That's all that I ask."


	17. The Power of a Simple Thank You

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. As always, keep them coming.

Previously:

"Why are you doing this?"

"I don't know," Buffy admitted.

"You have to figure that out," Faith said, sliding passed Buffy, who looked at her disappointedly. "Look, B," Faith said, turning back to her. "I've wanted you for a long time. I feel something for you. But I don't know if you feel anything for me other than regret that you broke up with your boyfriend and you have no one else hold at night. So figure it out and then we'll see where to go from here."

Chapter Sixteen: The Power of a Simple Thank You:

_Faith could hear the rain pounding down on the flimsy roof of the motel in which she was staying. A large stain was starting to spread across the ceiling in the right hand corner of the room, just next to the door. Faith watched as a single drop of water as it collected, stretched, and fell. It seemed to fall forever, silently plunging towards the ground until it collided with the carpet in a tiny explosion of water, which obliterated the drop and sent thousands of particles careening through the air. Christy had been dead for less than eight hours. The police had questioned Faith and left with the other girl's body shoved unceremoniously in the back of a van. She had been tempted to follow them to the morgue, if only for the chance to glimpse her girlfriend for one, last time, but decided against it when she realized that Christy's parents would be there waiting._

_Bitter tears stung her eyes as she lay in her darkened room, listening to the rain, and watching the water stain. She could have done something to prevent her girlfriend's death. She knew how to fight; she could have disarmed the man. She could have talked down him, tried to reason with him when she sensed that he was starting to lose control. Faith knew that there were many things that she could have done differently that night, but those things did not haunt her nearly as much as the reality of what she had done. She had given up; she had let the man take control from her and she had done it willingly. She could still feel the roughness of the concrete scraping into her knees as she knelt, waiting for Christy to hand her money over to the man. She had submitted and her girlfriend was dead. _

_"It's my fault," she whispered absently. "I should have done something." A flash of lightening illuminated the room from the outside. Thunder storms usually did not occur in winter, but when one did, it was spectacular. Faith pulled herself up off of her bed and moved over to the window. Sitting beside it, she rested her forehead against the cool glass and sighed. The rain streaked down the window, much like the tears that had started to streak down her face. Wiping them away angrily, she squeezed her eyes closed._

_She hated herself more in that moment than she ever had. Always, she had allowed herself to be directed by the will of others. She had stood for the abuse dolled out to her by her mother and her endless stream of boyfriends. She had never complained; she had never fought back. Instead, she had released her anger onto others, people who did not deserve to feel her wrath. While she had thought that she had been in control of her life, she realized now that she never had been. Someone had always taken control away from her and she was through with allowing it to happen. She was going to take the control back, regardless of whether she had to fight, struggle, and claw through the world to do it._

_A boom of thunder resounded through the room, startling her. The clouds were releasing rain more heavily now. She barely could see out of the window. Closing her eyes, she allowed her tired mind a chance to rest. She could still feel the impression of Christy's lips on her own. The taste of her lip gloss lingered on Faith's tongue and the smell of her shampoo seemed to linger in the room, though it was coupled with the distinct, sharp scent of gunpowder. Faith could still feel the other girl's warm hand clutching happily her own as they had walked together. The sensations were too much for her and she permitted herself a moment of weakness, weeping silently against the window, the sound drowned by the boom of thunder and the crashing of the rain on the roof._

_She cried until the tears would come no longer and then she sat silently, oblivious to the ticking of the clock, and the slow dawning of the day occurring just outside of her window. Suddenly, she felt something strange come over her, like a presence had entered the room and pushed its way into her body. Her fingertips seemed to hum with an invisible energy. The sound of the rain on the roof came alive, pulsing through her in a deafening wail. Despite the darkness of the room, she could see perfectly, as though the sun were shining brightly outside. The imaginary smells of shampoo and gun powder were replaced by the acrid smell of mold and something that Faith could not identify, but knew found its home in her room. She wanted to run. She wanted to move. She wanted to do anything but sit still and, as these thoughts raced through her mind, another surfaced unexpectedly. She wanted to kill something._

_Someone knocked on her door and Faith felt the pounding ringing through her mind like someone was banging on a drum right next to her skull. "Who is it?" She growled, livid to have been disturbed. Glancing over at the old alarm clock on the nightstand, she wondered who would be calling for her at such an early hour. Even the sun had not risen yet. _

_"Faith?" A female voice questioned, thickly laced with a British accent._

_Faith frowned, stood, and moved over to the door. Swinging it open, she surveyed the woman standing in front of her. She was dressed conservatively, with her brown hair pulled tightly into a bun, and deep blue eyes that nearly glowed. Faith searched her memory, trying to connect the woman's face to a name until she realized that never before had she seen her. "Who are you?" Faith asked roughly._

_"My name is Kate Stewart," she replied amicably, extending her hand. Faith looked at it warily for a moment before shaking it briefly. "May I come in?"_

_"Sure," Faith said, opening the door for her. Though she did not know the stranger walking into her motel room, she felt at ease with her, as if she knew that she was not a threat._

_"I'm sure you're wondering who I am at this point," Kate began. "You may not know me, but I know you."_

_"That comforting," Faith muttered._

_Kate smiled warmly. "You might want to sit down. I have many things to explain to you, most of which will seem quite absurd."_

_Faith sighed, nodding as she sat back down by the window. Kate pulled up a chair and sat across from her. "How do you know me? I've never seen you before," Faith stated._

_"I work for an organization called The Watcher's Council," Kate explained. "It's been around for quite a long time and serves the sole purpose of fighting things that most people don't even know exist."_

_"Like what?" Faith asked, intrigued despite herself._

_"I'll get to that," Kate said patiently. "You see, the Council is designed to aid a very special person. One person in all of the world. One girl. That girl is you."_

_"Me?" Faith asked, laughing bitterly. "You're here to help me?"_

_"I know it sounds bizarre," Kate admitted. "But you're gifted."_

_"I think you have the wrong person," Faith began._

_"No," Kate interrupted, "I'm sure I'm in the right place. You see, this world is filled with many kinds of evil. Some is human," Kate explained. Faith thought of the man that had killed her girlfriend some hours before and nodded. "But some of it is not."_

_"What do you mean?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion._

_"There's no real easy way to explain this," Kate muttered. "Oh, bloody hell. Here it is. Vampires, demons, and other creatures of supernatural origin exist. They're running around the world, as we speak, killing people and causing vast amounts of chaos. To combat this, the Powers that Be created something called a vampire Slayer. You are the vampire Slayer. One girl in all of the world chosen to fight the forces of darkness."_

_Faith sighed deeply. "I know a place, right down the road, I think they can help you," she said. _

_"I'm not insane," Kate said dismissively._

_"Have you heard yourself speak?" Faith asked sarcastically. _

_"I know that this doesn't make much sense to you. But I can prove it," Kate stated eagerly._

_"How?" Faith asked_

_"I can show you," she answered. "And then you'll believe me."_

_Faith sat back, leaning against the window as she intently watched the woman sitting in front of her. She had no reason to believe that what she had said was true; yet, something inside of her urged her to give the woman a chance to prove herself. Finally, Faith nodded. "Show me."_

………………………………..

"Mom?" Buffy asked, moving over to her mother as the card game that had held her attention rapt for several hours finally disbanded.

"Buffy," Joyce stated warmly. "What's wrong, honey? You look exhausted."

"I wanted to talk with you about something," the blonde Slayer replied. "In private."

"Okay," Joyce nodded, leading them to a corner of the room in which no one was sitting.

"I broke up with Riley earlier. I don't know if word had gotten around to you yet," Buffy explained.

"I heard from Willow. I'm sorry," Joyce said sympathetically. "He seemed like a nice man."

"He is," Buffy nodded.

"So what happened?" Joyce asked curiously. She had seen the way that Buffy had been interacting with Faith. Though she had sensed that something more was occurring between the two Slayers than friendship, she had not wanted to jump to any conclusions.

"I think when I first started dating him I really did feel something for him," Buffy stated, looking down at her hands as she spoke. "But I don't feel that anymore. Not for him anyway."

"But you do feel that for someone else?" Joyce prodded.

"Maybe," Buffy said, looking up at her mother uncertainly. "I don't know."

"Buffy," Joyce smiled patiently, "I think you do know. I think you're just scared of the answer."

Buffy squinted her eyes suspiciously and gazed at the older woman. "You know more than you're letting on, don't you?" She asked.

Joyce laughed. "I'm your mother, Buffy," she stated. "Of course I know more than I'm letting on."

"I kissed Faith," Buffy suddenly confessed, reddening when the words left her mouth. Joyce watched her daughter's reaction amusedly. She had dealt with the knowledge that her daughter was a vampire Slayer. Nothing else would surprise her.

"When?" Joyce asked.

"A few minutes ago," Buffy replied embarrassedly. "In the back room."

"How did Faith react?" Joyce questioned, sensing that the event had not gone quite as Buffy would have liked.

"She kissed me back," Buffy acknowledged.

"So why are we having this conversation?" Joyce asked confusedly.

"She wanted to know why I did it," Buffy explained. "But I couldn't think of anything to say. I froze. She thought that I was coming on to her because I was upset about breaking up with Riley. But that's not true."

"Did you tell her that?" Joyce stated, sighing when Buffy shook her head. "Maybe you should start there."

"You're not upset about all of this?" Buffy asked, noticing her mother's lack of reaction to her revelation that she had been making out with another woman.

"Buffy," Joyce smiled patiently, "zombies have taken over Sunnydale. Before I found out that you were a Slayer, I didn't even know that zombies existed. I'm beyond surprise at this point."

Buffy laughed. "I understand," she said.

"You and Faith have had a difficult past to say the least," Joyce said seriously. "I know that it's hard to move beyond that. I think once you accept that Faith is a different person now, it'll be easier for you to accept your feelings for her. Maybe then you can tell her how you really feel."

Buffy nodded. "Thanks, Mom," she said gratefully.

Joyce smiled. "That's what mothers are for."

……………………………

Faith sat by the bar of the Bronze, watching people milling about as the sun started to set outside. Her muscles were begging for use, the Slayer inside of her pleading with her to leave the safety of the club and seek out something to kill. Tapping her fingers restlessly on her leg, she sighed. She wanted to hunt and she knew that her inner Slayer would not be pleased until she did. However, she was not willing to leave the club while hundreds of zombies descended upon it, nor while her sister Slayer was lingering behind. "You really want to g-get out there, huh?" Tara asked, walking over to Faith.

"What?" Faith snapped, looking at the blonde girl sharply, before softening her gaze. "Sorry," she said. "I'm just feeling a little restless."

"I k-know what you mean," Tara acknowledged. "I'm not a S-slayer and I'm s-still feeling claustrophobic."

"Why do you do that?" Faith asked, looking over at her interestedly. Though Willow had reacted adversely to Faith's reemergence in the lives of the Scoobies, Tara had withheld judgment, refusing to condemn the former rogue simply because Willow had hoped that she would. Faith appreciated the other girl's support, as she had found little in the red haired witch.

"D-do what?" Tara asked.

"Stutter," Faith stated. Tara blushed and looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry," Faith apologized, mentally kicking herself.

"It's o-okay," Tara smiled. "I c-can't really control it. It s-stops sometimes though."

"When?" Faith asked curiously.

"When I'm c-comfortable with whoever I'm talking to," Tara explained.

Faith nodded. "That makes sense."

"H-how long do you think they'll have us wait here?" Tara asked, nodding towards Riley, who was pacing back and forth in front of the main doors of the Bronze. The nightly moaning of the zombies had commenced and Faith noticed that everyone in the club looked tense. She, however, was starting to feel at ease with the sound.

"I don't know," Faith admitted. "As long as Riley thinks we should wait," she added, disgruntled.

"You d-don't sound too happy with that," Tara noted.

"I just don't like him," Faith shrugged.

"Because h-he was with Buffy?" Tara questioned. Faith shot her a look, but she did not back down from her question.

Faith smiled slightly, impressed with the blonde girl. "Maybe," she acknowledged. Looking up, she saw Willow approaching them hesitantly. "I should go," Faith said, standing.

"No," Willow said quickly, as she slid into a seat next to Tara. "Stay."

"What?" Faith asked, looking over at her confusedly.

"I want you to stay," Willow said, though it seemed to Faith that was forcing the words out of her mouth.

"Okay," Faith nodded and sat.

"I never thanked you," Willow stated.

"For what?" Faith asked in shock.

"Saving us," Willow answered. "We couldn't have stayed at the dorm for much longer and, without any weapons, Buffy wouldn't have been able to lead us out. You saved us. So thank you."

"You're welcome," Faith said quietly after several long moments. Tara smiled over at Willow and slipped her hand into the witch's, squeezing it gently.

Faith looked away, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment between the two women. Glancing up at the second level of the Bronze, she saw Buffy standing by the railing, gazing absently down at the first floor. The blonde Slayer's eyes shifted when she felt Faith's presence and she looked down at the dark haired girl. Faith smiled up at her slightly, her eyes soft and dark in the fading light. Buffy smiled back, suddenly realizing how beautiful the other girl was and how much she wanted to be sitting next to her. In that moment, she knew exactly how she felt for the dark haired Slayer. Moving away from the railing, she let her feet guide her towards the stairs, determined to tell Faith exactly what she wanted to know.


	18. The Beginning of the End

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming, they give me inspiration! Also, the title of this chapter is a bit of a misnomer, as this really isn't anywhere near the beginning of the end of the story. This chapter just sets into motion the events that lead to the end of the story…eventually.

Previously:

Glancing up at the second level of the Bronze, Faith saw Buffy standing by the railing, gazing absently down at the first floor. The blonde Slayer's eyes shifted when she felt Faith's presence and she looked down at the dark haired girl. Faith smiled up at her slightly, her eyes soft and dark in the fading light. Buffy smiled back, suddenly realizing how beautiful the other girl was and how much she wanted to be sitting next to her. In that moment, she knew exactly how she felt for the dark haired Slayer. Moving away from the railing, she let her feet guide her towards the stairs, determined to tell Faith exactly what she wanted to know.

Chapter Seventeen: The Beginning of the End:

_"Show me," Faith said. Every nerve in her body was tingling, lighting up as if on fire until she felt as though she had to move to release the energy building in her muscles. Kate watched her knowingly with a small smile adorning her beautiful, but withdrawn, features. _

_"Where is the nearest cemetery?" Kate asked, gazing at Faith intently. The young girl bore a sadness that Kate had not witness before in a person so young. She wondered what had caused the sorrow that lingered behind her charge's eyes. Faith was very beautiful, but in a dangerous sort of way that Kate recognized as the presence of the Slayer. Unlike most girls, Faith had never been trained as a potential. She was unaware of her calling and its requirements. Kate knew that convincing Faith that the world was full of demons and other supernatural creatures would be difficult, but she knew also that seeing was believing. When she had discovered about the true state of the world for the first time, she had been attacked by a vampire. She had smelled the scent of decay on him, felt the fear that came from staring down his yellow eyes, and heard the hiss of breath as he opened his mouth to bite. She had been saved and she had vowed to devote her life to helping future Slayers in their quest to destroy evil._

_"The nearest cemetery?" Faith asked confusedly. "Why do you want to know that?"_

_"You wanted to see," Kate reminded her softly. "I can show you. But we have to go to the nearest cemetery."_

_"It's raining outside," Faith noted._

_"It's just water," Kate smiled. "It won't hurt you."_

_"Two blocks from here," Faith relented. "I can take us there."_

_"Let's go then," Kate nodded curtly, rising to her feet. Faith sighed heavily, wondering exactly what she had involved herself in before standing as well. "I have something for you," Kate added. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a long, wooden object. Faith took it from the other woman's extended hand and eyed it warily. The object looked like a stick, though it was wider, and had been sharpened at one end._

_"What is this?" Faith inquired curiously._

_"A stake," Kate replied simply. "That will be your primary weapon."_

_"This?" Faith asked. "Shouldn't I have a gun or something?"_

_"No," Kate shook her head. "Rarely will you ever find the need to use such a grotesque weapon."_

_"So why does this work?" Faith questioned. _

_"Come," Kate said, opening the door of the motel room. "We'll talk on the way." Faith nodded, grabbing her keys. "You don't have a jacket?" Kate asked in surprise._

_Faith shook her head. "No," she replied. "My mother wasn't very well off."_

_"We'll have to remedy that," she murmured. "Wasn't?" She wondered aloud._

_"She's dead," Faith said darkly, moving passed the woman. The rain had lessened, though it still poured from the sky in a steady flow. The first splashes touched Faith's forehead, as if baptizing her into a new life, and she closed her eyes, tilting her face towards the sky._

_"How did she die?" Kate asked, walking out and closing the door. Faith turned back and locked it, though she possessed nothing within that she would miss._

_"She overdosed," Faith answered mechanically._

_"I'm sorry," Kate said sympathetically._

_"I'm not," Faith replied stoically. Kate arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. "It's this way," Faith added, nodding down the street. A flash of lightening lit up the sky, illuminating the world around them. A boom of thunder immediately followed it, echoing in Faith's ears, reminding her of the gunshot that had taken her girlfriend's life._

_"Are you alright?" Kate asked sincerely._

_"Five by five," Faith muttered in return. "So why do I use this," she asked, looking down at the stake, "but I don't use a gun?"_

_"Guns are ineffectual against vampires, which are the most common demon that you will fight," Kate explained. "Vampires are quite numerous. Slayers are primarily concerned with fighting them, as they are the most dangerous to mankind, simply because of their numbers. Other demons can be quite dangerous, but there are fewer of them in the world. Additionally," she lectured, "not all demons are evil. You see, some people are simply born demons. They can't help what they are. As such, they live their lives, trying to be the best that they can, without hurting anyone."_

_"So this will kill a vampire?" Faith asked._

_"A wooden stake pushed through the heart will kill a vampire. Holy water injures them, as do crucifixes," Kate continued. "Fire will kill a vampire. Finally, decapitation will also destroy it."_

_"Decapitation?" Faith asked warily. _

_"I'm sorry to say that you'll find yourself doing many things that you never would have thought," Kate said apologetically. "This life is quite difficult, but it's your destiny. It requires concentration, determination, and consistency. You have to train very hard to keep a constant level of physical fitness. You'll have to learn many modes of fighting. Be proficient in many different weapons. It's a difficult life, but it's rewarding. You can live knowing that you're protecting mankind from things which desire to see its end. You'll save people and you'll destroy evil."_

_"How did I get to be the Slayer?" Faith asked as she and Kate walked down the sidewalk. The cemetery loomed closer. Already, Faith could see the outline of its black gates under the light of the streetlamps._

_"The powers of the Slayer are inherited through a line extending back to the dawn of man. When a Slayer is killed, another is called to take her place," Kate explained softly._

_"So I was called because the girl before me died?" Faith asked, feeling sickened by the thought that she had come into her destiny only because another girl had failed in hers._

_"Yes," Kate nodded slowly, glancing over at Faith to survey her reaction._

_"What was her name?" Faith asked softly._

_"Kendra," Kate replied. "She was a good Slayer. But her Watcher didn't teach her in a way that I would have. He required her to maintain a mechanical sort of fighting style, repressing her emotions, and fighting only from the desire to kill."_

_"That's not your style?" Faith smirked._

_"No," Kate replied. "I believe that emotions are one of our greatest assets. Passions sets us apart from animals. If you fight with passion, you fight with the will to live."_

_"And now I'm the only one," Faith stated._

_"Well…," Kate began hesitantly. "Not exactly."_

_"What do you mean?" Faith asked in surprise. "What happened to the one girl in the whole world speech?"_

_"There is another," Kate admitted. "Though it's a complete anomaly. Her name is Buffy Summers. She was the Slayer before Kendra."_

_"Was?" Faith asked. "I thought you were intimating that the girl is still alive."_

_"She is still alive," Kate nodded. "But you're_ the _Slayer. She's just a Slayer now. The line has moved on with you."_

_"What happened to her?" Faith asked, feeling a strange kinship with her sister Slayer, though she had never met her._

_"She was drowned by a master vampire," Kate explained. "But someone resuscitated her. Thus, she's alive when she shouldn't be."_

_"We're here," Faith stated, glancing warily at the ominous cemetery gates._

_"Are you ready for this?" Kate asked, looking down at her concernedly._

_Faith sighed and nodded. "I'm ready."_

………………………………….

With a renewed sense of purpose, Buffy directed her steps down the stair case that descended to the first level of the Bronze. The nightly moaning of the zombies seemed louder than usual – a wailing that pierced down to her bones, shaking the foundation of her soul. When her feet hit the bottom stair, she paused, inhaling deeply, and briefly closing her eyes. She could feel Faith watching her from across the room, where the dark haired Slayer sat at the bar with Tara and Willow. Though Buffy knew exactly what she wanted to say to her sister Slayer, when she opened her eyes and looked into Faith's face, every thought fled from her mind.

People were lighting candles throughout the Bronze, preparing for the swiftly descending night, and the light from the tiny fires flickered on Faith's face, casting a warm glow on her skin. Moving forward, she steeled her resolve, swallowing the fear and anxiety that threatened to force its way into her consciousness. Faith noticed Buffy walking towards her with a purpose. She desperately hoped that Buffy felt the same way for her that she felt for the blonde Slayer, but she had learned long ago not to trust hope. She could sense the nervousness pouring off of the other girl and she smiled slightly, hoping that the action would reassure the older Slayer. Buffy saw Faith smile dimly through the fading light and her anxiety seemed to wash away, replaced by an intense love that she felt for the younger girl.

She surprised herself with the thought of love. She knew that she liked Faith in a

'more than friends kind of way,' but she had not recognized the beginnings of love within her heart until that moment. She was in love with Faith. She was closing the distance between them when she heard a voice calling for her. Forcibly shifting her gaze away from the dark haired girl, she noticed Riley walking up to her. "Buffy," he said, smiling when she stopped.

"What?" She asked, more sharply than she had intended. Riley's face fell briefly, but he shook off his disappointment and continued talking.

"I'm sorry about earlier…with the guns," he began. "I know that you have experience with weapons, but my men don't know that. They look at you and they just see a girl who's never handled a firearm before. It made them nervous."

"I get that," Buffy nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "But I still think that I should have one."

Riley smiled patiently. "I know you do, but we're perfectly safe here."

"Is that all that you wanted to talk to me about?" Buffy asked eagerly, impatient to proceed with her conversation with Faith.

"Have somewhere to be?" Riley asked pointedly.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "But I was hoping to talk to someone."

"Who?" Riley questioned curiously.  
"That's not really any of your business," Buffy stated and turned to walk away. Riley, however, called her back.

"Buffy," he said regretfully, "I'm sorry. You're right. It's none of my business who you talk to. But I did want to ask you something."

"What?" Buffy asked apprehensively.

"My men…well, they aren't qualified leaders. They were new to the Initiative before the attack. While I trust their judgment, when it's time for us to leave here, I would be more comfortable having someone else in charge besides them."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"What I'm saying is that I would be grateful if you could take charge of one of the groups. Our plan is to split everyone into two groups, find some school buses, and ride out of town. With four soldiers, there will be two soldiers per bus. But I'll only be able to ride on one bus. The other will have two inexperienced soldiers on it. I would be more comfortable knowing that you were in charge of the bus that I'm not on," Riley stated.

"Really?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"Yes," Riley said. "I trust your judgment Buffy. Like I said, I'm sorry that I was so harsh before, but this is a difficult situation. I'm just trying to keep everyone happy and safe."

"I know," Buffy relented. "For what it's worth, you're doing a good job."

"Thanks," Riley said, smiling as he looked down at the floor. "Well," he finished, looking back up at his former girlfriend, "I'll let you get on with your business."

"Thanks, Riley," Buffy said sincerely as she walked away. She reached Faith, who was looking at her inquisitively.

"What was that all about?" The former rogue Slayer asked, her voice lined with jealousy. Buffy smiled at the thought that Faith was jealous of Riley.

"Riley wants me to be in charge of one of the groups when we leave the Bronze," Buffy answered.

"Really?" Faith asked. "It's about damn time he figured out that you were the best one for the job."

"Thanks," Buffy mumbled, blushing slightly. "Anyway," she cleared her throat, "I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay," Faith nodded.

"Alone," she said, smiling sheepishly over at Willow and Tara. Tara smiled and nodded, grabbing Willow's hand, and pulling her away.

"We c-can take a hint," she said, throwing an inconspicuous wink back at Faith. "We'll be u-upstairs if you need us." Faith smiled amusedly at Tara's action.

Buffy waited until the two witches had gone before sitting down next to the younger girl. Faith looked over at her curiously, waiting for Buffy to speak. However, when several long moments had passed, and the blonde Slayer had remained silent, she nudged her with her elbow. "B?" She asked. "I thought you said that you wanted to talk to me."

"I do," Buffy nodded quickly. "I'm just trying to figure out what to say."

"Looked like you had a good enough idea when you started walking over here," Faith smirked.

"I did," Buffy replied defensively. "But then my mind went blank."

"I can wait," Faith sighed. "But I am getting kinda hungry," she joked, "so don't take too long."

Buffy laughed. "About what you said earlier," she began. "I didn't kiss you because I had just broken up with Riley and wanted to be with someone. I kissed you because I wanted to."

"Again," Faith stated, "why?"

"I've battled with this for a long time, Faith. You have to understand that. When you first came to town, you were this revelation to me. You were everything that I wanted to be. I wanted you then, but I didn't understand it. Then Angel came back and everything just spun out of control," Buffy explained.

"I killed two people and turned evil," Faith finished. "I know, B, I was there," she reminded her counterpart.

Buffy smiled patiently. "Will you just let me finish explaining, please?" She asked. Faith nodded, allowing Buffy to continue. "I didn't understand why you turned against us, though I have a better idea now. I'm not saying that it wasn't your fault. A lot of it was. But some of it was my fault too. I know that now. When you betrayed us, I guess a part of me felt vindicated for refusing to give in to my feelings for you. Stabbing you…," Buffy faltered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You don't have to keep going," Faith said, hating to see the older girl suffer.

"Yeah, I do," Buffy replied softly, looking down at her hands. "Stabbing you was the worst thing that I've ever done in my life. I can't tell you how sorry I am for that. And don't give me any of that 'you had to' shit," she said firmly, holding up her hand to silence Faith, who had opened her mouth to respond. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But I'm still allowed to feel bad about it. When I saw you again, all of these feelings just came back to me. It took me a while to sort through them. But I have now."

"And?" Faith asked breathlessly, waiting for Buffy's answer.

"And I think that I love you," Buffy replied softly. "I think I always have, I just never wanted to admit it. But I can now. I love you," she said softly, looking over at Faith, who was staring back at her intently.

A brilliant smile broke out on Faith's face. "You love me?" She said, half astonished and half jokingly.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. Caressing the side of Faith's face with her hand, she leaned forward, gently pressing her lips to the younger girl's. The kiss was gentle, but filled with the same passion with which Buffy had kissed her earlier. It was a lazy kiss that spoke of all of the time in the world that they would have to explore their feelings for each other. When Buffy pulled away, she smiled softly.

"I…I love you too, B," Faith whispered, struggling for a moment to say the words. It had been so long since she had uttered that phrase to anyone.

"Good to see that we're on the same page," Buffy joked. Faith smiled.

"Yeah, it is," she replied. She was about to respond further when she noticed something strangely out of place.

"What?" Buffy asked, noticing that Faith's brows had furrowed in confusion.

"Do you hear that?" Faith asked.

"What?" Buffy replied, listening closely to the sounds of the night. "I don't hear anything," she stated.

"That's my point," Faith said slowly. "I don't hear the zombies anymore."

"That's a good thing, right?" Buffy asked.

Faith felt her Slayer senses scream to life as the hairs on the back of her neck stood erect. "I don't think so," she whispered gravely. As she spoke, the main doors of the Bronze suddenly burst open and a horde of zombies charged into the club.


	19. Stemming the Assault

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. I may be updating a little bit less this week as I've got a lot going on, but I'll do my best.

Previously:

"Do you hear that?" Faith asked.

"What?" Buffy replied, listening closely to the sounds of the night. "I don't hear anything," she stated.

"That's my point," Faith said slowly. "I don't hear the zombies anymore."

"That's a good thing, right?" Buffy asked.

Faith felt her Slayer senses scream to life as the hairs on the back of her neck stood erect. "I don't think so," she whispered gravely. As she spoke, the main doors of the Bronze suddenly burst open and a horde of zombies charged into the club.

Chapter Eighteen: Stemming the Assault:

_The cemetery gates stood black and imposing against the night sky, blending into the shadows of the darkness surrounding Faith and Kate as they stood on the sidewalk across the street from the graveyard. Faith had never entered a cemetery prior to that moment, though whenever she had passed one on the street, she had felt the first inklings of fear rearing up in her heart. Her pulse would start racing, her heart would beat wildly, and she would feel the undeniable urge to run. But as she stood in front of the gates that evening, she felt something from within calling to her, and she no longer felt the need to run the other way. Instead, she wanted to move forward and feel the soft acquiescence of the grass underneath her feet._

_"What do you feel?" Kate asked quizzically, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the young girl. Snapping out of the daze that she had settled into, Faith looked over at her Watcher with a smirk gracing her lips. _

_"I have to talk about my feelings now?" Faith asked sarcastically._

_"No," Kate replied, flustered. "I just saw the look on your face," she added in her proper English accent. "I knew that you were feeling something and I was intrigued. That's all. You have to understand, Faith," Kate explained, "I've never trained a Slayer before. I've trained some Potentials in my time with the Council, but never a girl graced with the gift. You're completely new to me."_

_"I've never liked cemeteries," Faith replied softly. "I guess because they make me anxious…all of those gravestones poking out of the earth, decaying, and hundreds of years of dead people just lying underneath the ground."_

_"Do they scare you still?" Kate asked._

_"I never said that they scared me," Faith answered defensively. "I just said that they make me anxious."_

_"And now?" Kate pressed._

_"I don't know," Faith answered uncertainly. "You said that we have to go in there, right?" She asked. Kate nodded. "Let's go." Faith led the way, walking slowly up to the gates until she was standing within inches of them. Reaching out with a shaking hand, she touched the cool metal, and pushed open the gates. The stale smell of death filled her nostrils and she grimaced. However, as she opened the gates, a new, strange feeling overcame her. It started as a low tingling at the base of her neck and spread like a fire throughout her body until her every nerve screamed at her that something horrible was waiting for her from within the shadows._

_"Are you okay?" Kate asked concernedly._

_"Fine," Faith answered absently. "What are we supposed to see here?" She asked, looking over at the older woman, whose eyes danced kindly, but peculiarly, in the darkness._

_"I think it's time that you followed me now," Kate suggested. "Keep that stake handy. You'll need it."_

_"I'm going to kill something?" Faith asked in surprise._

_"Well," Kate answered thoughtfully, "if we see a vampire, it's our duty and obligation to destroy it. We cannot simply run because it's frightening or dangerous. That's the job of the Slayer, to fight when no one else will fight and to stand when all other people would fall."_

_"What's your job?" Faith inquired._

_"My job is to stand beside you during it all and to help you in any way that I can," Kate answered diplomatically. "Some Watchers have played a passive role in the training of their Slayers," she explained softly as they walked slowly through the cemetery. The sky was starting to lighten. The sun would rise shortly. "They teach their girls how to attack and defend themselves. They teach them about demons. And they send them out to fight alone. Others are more active. They join their Slayers on patrol and fight beside them."_

_"Which kind of Watcher are you?" Faith questioned._

_"I prefer fighting to waiting," Kate smiled grimly. Pulling a stake out of her own pocket, she gripped it tightly in her hand. "It's a little unnerving," she said softly. "Your first vampire, I mean."_

_"Yeah?" Faith asked nervously._

_"Yes," Kate affirmed. They walked in silence through the darkness. Occasional flashes of lightening lit their surroundings. The gravestones poked out of the ground like teeth gnawing at the roots of the world. A chill colder than winter air shook Faith to the bones. "Here," Kate whispered, grabbing the younger girl's arm to halt her movement._

_"What is it?" Faith whispered back._

_"You see just there?" She asked, pointing to a mausoleum standing in the distance._

_"Yeah," Faith nodded._

_"The gravestone next to it," she pointed, "do you see the ground moving?"_

_Faith looked carefully into the darkness. The ground around the gravestone was shifting, moving, as if someone – or something – was trying to break free. "I see it," she answered stoically._

_"What's rising up from the ground is a vampire," Kate explained. "It's newborn, so it'll need to feed right away to build its strength. It will need to feed frequently at first in order to maintain its strength, but after time, it will be able to feed less frequently and still remain as strong."_

_"How strong is it now?" Faith asked warily. The vampire's hands shot out through the dirt, clawing at the air. The two women moved forward until they were standing on the edge of the grass just before the gravestone._

_"Stronger than a normal human," Kate answered. "But you're stronger than he."_

_"But I'm just…," Faith trailed off, feeling a sense of panic rise up in her throat, constricting her breathing until only shallow breaths would come to her. She started feeling lightheaded._

_"A Slayer," Kate finished for her. "You're the Slayer now. You're stronger than a normal girl and you're stronger than a vampire."_

_"So what do I do?" Faith asked, feeling entirely lost in the situation with which she was faced._

_The vampire's head appeared above the ground. Faith could see its yellow eyes flashing and its white teeth sparkling in the flashes of lightening. A boom of thunder resounded, causing Faith to jump. Gripping the stake tightly in her hand, she recoiled at the stench of death rising from the birthing vampire. "You kill it," Kate instructed. "While it's still stuck in the ground would be preferable."_

_"How do I kill it?" Faith demanded._

_The vampire pulled itself up until its torso was sticking out of the dirt. "Stake it in the heart," Kate replied hastily. "You might miss the first time. That's all right. Just pull the stake out and try again."_

_"Okay," Faith murmured. Stepping forward, until she was standing over the vampire, she looked down at it as it struggled to free itself from the confines of its grave. It hissed up at her, pure hatred filling its face. The man had once been handsome, but his face was twisted into a demonic expression that made Faith's blood run cold. Her lips tightened in grim determination as she thrust the stake down towards the creature. The point drove through his chest, breaking bones and muscle until it struck the vampire's heart. Releasing the stake, Faith watched with amazement as the creature burst into a cloud of dust and ash. "Holy shit," she muttered._

_Kate smiled and walked up to Faith, clapping her hand on the girl's back. "That was excellent," she exclaimed. "And you even got him on your first try. I can tell already that you're going to make an excellent Slayer."_

_"You think so?" Faith asked hopefully, glancing back at the older woman._

_"Absolutely," Kate smiled kindly. "Now that you've seen your first vampire, do you believe me?"_

_"Yeah," Faith nodded enthusiastically. "I can safely say that I believe you now."_

_"Good," Kate nodded. "Onto other business then."_

_"Other business?" Faith asked warily as she and Kate walked back out of the cemetery._

_"Yes," Kate replied. "How attached are you to that motel?"_

_"Not very," Faith snorted._

_"Good," Kate said. "I have a proposition for you."_

_"What?" Faith asked suspiciously. She was beginning to trust the older woman, but she still harbored some concerns. Adults had never treated her well and she wondered if she was expecting too much from her new companion._

_"I want you to come live with me," Kate explained. "I know that it will be awkward at first, but we'll be free to train whenever necessary."_

_"Okay," Faith replied after several long moments of silence. _

_Kate breathed a sigh of relief. "Excellent. Besides, I don't like the thought of you living in that bloody motel room alone."_

_"Why not?" Faith wondered aloud._

_"It's not safe, for one. Besides, I want to make sure that you're well taken care of. I can't be sure of that if you're living in some dingy box on the other side of town."_

_"So where do you live?" Faith asked inquisitively._

_Kate smiled. "Let's go pack your bags and I'll show you, alright?" She replied. Faith nodded, a new sense of hope filling her heart, though a thought dawned in her mind. She was a Slayer now; she was stronger than a normal person. If she had only been called some hours before, she could have saved Christy. While she felt that she should thank the Powers that Be for her destiny, she also felt like cursing them. Shaking away the image of her girlfriend lying on the ground in a pool of blood, she forced herself to try to look forward to her new life. She would make Christy proud._

…………………………………..

Time seemed to screech to a halt as Faith watched the zombies burst into the Bronze. She felt as though she was living in a nightmare and that, if someone would only shake her, she would awake and find herself in Boston again, living in her Watcher's old house, or in Sunnydale, waking from a restless sleep in her motel room. She saw Buffy jump to her feet out of the corner of her eye. The blonde Slayer shouted something at her, but she either could not hear the words, or else the words made no sense to her. The zombies flooded into the room. Faith counted at least twenty. Utter silence seemed to cling to everything and then she heard a scream. A single, blood curdling scream ripped out and people started to panic.

"Faith!" Buffy shouted, looking back at her girlfriend with distress. "Faith!"

Buffy's voice pulled Faith back into the world. As she shook her head, time seemed to regain its normal pace, and Faith leap to her feet. "What do you want me to do?" She asked eagerly.

Faith was relieved to notice that her friends were on the second floor of the club. Around a dozen other people littered the Bronze. Faith counted seven on the first floor. They seemed frozen in time, as if they could not comprehend what was happening. Faith understood completely. "Get those people upstairs," Buffy instructed, pushing Faith forward.

"What about you?" Faith shouted, turning back to Buffy, but the blonde Slayer was already moving away. "Buffy!"

"I'll be fine," Buffy shouted back. "Hurry!"

Faith ran towards the clump of people gathered by the stage. One of the zombies charged at her, knocking her to the ground just before she reached them. She could smell its breath against her cheek, a moldy scent filled with decay. Looking up into the creature's glazed eyes, Faith felt the distinct urge to vomit. A large gash spread across the zombie's cheek, which should have healed if she were alive, but festered openly instead. The zombie had once been a woman, but her hair had fallen out and her skin sagged like it had started to melt, yellowed and stiff. Faith felt the zombie trying to pin her hands to the ground as it lowered its jaws towards her face. Bucking with all of her strength, she failed to dislodge the creature, which hissed down at her angrily. With a sudden, striking clarity, Faith realized that she had come to the end of her road. She squeezed her eyes closed just as the zombie was about to bite her.

However, its teeth never reached her skin. Its weight suddenly lifted and, opening her eyes, Faith saw the zombie sprawled on the floor next to her. Looking up, she saw Liz standing over her, holding a piece of wood tightly in her hands. "Looked like you could use some help," Liz said, extending a hand for Faith.

The dark haired Slayer smiled with relief, wondering, not for the first time, how many lives she had left. Grabbing the younger girl's hand, she lifted herself to her feet. The zombie was struggling to move forward. Liz lifted the plank high above her head and slammed it down onto the back of the dead woman's skull, which burst all over the floor like rotten fruit. "Come on," Faith said, motioning towards the group of scared people. "Come with me."

They rushed forward just as the zombies were approaching. The soldiers had started firing their guns, trying to still the assault. The smell of gunpowder filled Faith's nostrils and the popping of the guns made it difficult for her to hear anything. Smoke filled the room and she coughed violently. Grabbing a hold of someone's elbow, she led the group to the stairs. One of the soldiers was standing on the bottom step, cutting down the zombies as they tried to advance. Faith reached the stairs first, giving the soldier a curt nod as the people began filing up the steps before her. As the last three were moving forward, a cluster of zombies broke free from the rest, dodging the soldier's fire until they had reached his position. Faith saw them too late.

One of them reached out with bloodied hands and grabbed Liz, sinking its teeth into her back. Faith heard the young girl's scream and turned, horror filling her face as she saw the zombie dragging her away. Another zombie grabbed a middle aged man. The last person fled up the stairs, just out of the grasp of the searching hands of the creatures. Reaching over, she snatched one of the soldier's guns from his hip holster. When she looked back, she could no longer see anything recognizable of her friend on the ground. The zombies had descended upon her, feasting on her dead body. Aiming her gun, she popped off three successive rounds, killing the creatures hovering over her. Sighing deeply, she lowered the aim of her gun to the chunk of flesh that she assumed had been Liz's face and fired. The body stopped twitching and lay still.

"Are you okay?" The soldier asked Faith. He had taken down the rest of the zombies and the man that they had bitten.

"I'm okay," Faith nodded. "You?"

"I'm good," he said shakily. "I didn't see those last ones coming."

Faith sighed and looked over at him. He looked to be only eighteen years old and his eyes still held the innocence of youth, an innocence that Faith had never possessed. "It's okay," she said, clapping her hand on his shoulder. "I didn't see them coming either."

…………………………………..

The other two soldiers managed to hold the zombies back. Buffy ran to where Riley had position himself, shooting at the front doors. "Now would be a good time to give me a gun," Buffy said breathlessly.

Reaching into his holster, he pulled out a handgun and extended it to the Slayer. "I agree," he said grimly.

"We need to get them back outside," Buffy said, shooting two zombies in the head as they piled in through the door. Looking back, she saw Faith standing on the stairs with one of the soldiers. A cluster of zombies lay dead at their feet. The rest of the zombies had been cut down by the other soldiers as they charged into the club, but more were trying to enter through the doors.

"I know," Riley nodded. "Cover me."

"What?" Buffy asked in surprise, watching as Riley rushed forward. Composing herself, she aimed her gun, picking off the zombies closest to Riley. Grabbing a piece of the shattered door, he charged forward, warding off attacks until the wood covered one of the holes through which the zombies were entering.

"Find something to nail this with," he shouted back to one of the soldiers. The man disappeared momentarily and repapered with a toolbox from the side of the stage. Buffy rushed forward, shooting through the hole above the board, which rested in the middle. The zombies had not yet discovered the bottom opening. The soldiers quickly nailed the board to the wall. Grabbing another piece, Riley held it up to the hole that was eye level with him. A sharp pain suddenly tore through his leg, but he ignored it. The soldiers nailed that board as well. When they had covered the bottom hole in a similar fashion, they grabbed some speakers and amplifiers from the stage and stacked them in front of the doors until they formed a formidable obstacle.

The zombies pounded on the makeshift blockade, but quickly realized that it was too strong for them to break. Buffy heard them start moaning again and the pounding on the door lessened. Finally, it stopped altogether. "How many people are dead?" Riley asked.

"Two," the soldier standing on the stairs answered. "Every one else is on the second level."

Buffy sighed with relief when she saw Faith smiling down at her. But the dark haired Slayer's smile faded and her brows furrowed in confusion. Buffy watched as Faith pointed down at Riley. Allowing her eyes to follow the path of the younger girl's finger, she saw a dark patch of blood spreading across Riley's left leg. "Riley?" Buffy asked, capturing the man's attention.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking over at her.

"What happened to your leg?" She questioned warily.

Riley looked down at his bloodied limb, his face paling. Glancing back up at his ex-girlfriend, he shakily replied, "I…I don't know."


	20. Waiting for Death

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews, I love the inspiration. Sorry for the lack of updates recently, but I've been incredibly busy. I'll do my best to get these chapters out though.

Previously:

"Riley?" Buffy asked, capturing the man's attention.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking over at her.

"What happened to your leg?" She questioned warily.

Riley looked down at his bloodied limb, his face paling. Glancing back up at his ex-girlfriend, he shakily replied, "I…I don't know."

Chapter Nineteen: Waiting for Death:

_Faith felt as though she had been walking forever. Her eyelids drooped and she found herself trailing behind her Watcher, who strode briskly down the street. Faith had watched with awe as the city changed drastically before her. They had left the cemetery shortly before the sun began to ride over the horizon. When they returned to Faith's motel room, the young Slayer had quickly packed her belongings while Kate had paid her remaining bill. They left the motel room when the sun was just peeking over the edge of the world; its smiling face lighting up the sky in a brilliant display of orange and gold. Faith had paused momentarily, closing her eyes and allowing the warmth of the sun to caress her cheeks. Then they had started walking._

_The sun was swiftly crawling up in the sky. When they had first started walking, Faith had felt at home. The city was a landscape of sprawling industry. Smoke stacks dotted the skyline and a murky haze seemed to hang over the world in a protective, polluted bubble. However, as they walked, the haze lifted. The streets became wider. The spaces between the buildings grew. Trees dotted the sidewalks. The trash that Faith had been accustomed to seeing playfully rolling down the streets disappeared. Faith watched wide eyed as the houses grew in size. For her whole life, she had lived in a two bedroom apartment in a neighborhood most people in the city of Boston never dared to tread. But that place had been her home. She had grown comfortable with it; she recognized every piece of trash, every smokestack on the skyline, and every dirty face that wandered by on the sidewalks._

_"This is where you live?" Faith asked as she glanced around at the mansions dotting the tree lined road. They had walked the length of the city until everything that Faith had recognized had vanished and she was traveling through an unknown land. _

_"This is where_ we _live," Kate corrected her, smiling over at the awestricken_ _young girl. "The Council has been around for centuries," Kate explained. "In that time, it's managed to amass quite a lot of money."_

_"I can see that," Faith nodded. "I should be in school," she added as an afterthought._

_"You're school is quite far from here, isn't it?" Kate asked._

_"You could say that," Faith replied._

_Kate smiled at Faith's vaguely sarcastic tone. "You won't need to go back to that school anymore," the older woman said. "I can teach you all that you'll need to know."_

_"Really?" Faith asked in surprise._

_"Really," Kate nodded. "I'm quite qualified. That is, unless you'd like to continue attending your high school."_

_"No," Faith shook her head rapidly, "I don't want to go back there." She could not imagine walking down the halls of her old high school without Christy by her side. Her girlfriend had been her rock, but her rock was gone. She would have to be her own rock._

_"Faith," Kate said, slowing her pace, and turning to face the girl, "I know that life hasn't been easy for you." Faith smirked and Kate smiled softly. "But it will only get better from here." Faith smiled, though she doubted her Watcher's words. Kate had been right; life never had been easy for her. Though she found herself transported out of her old life and into a new one, which had all of the prospects of being much better, she could not ignore the scratching claws of doubt that scraped at the back of her mind. Finally, they reached a sprawling two story house that stood behind massive, wrought iron gates. Trees lined the drive leading up to the front door. "Welcome home," Kate pronounced, pulling a ring of keys out from her pocket. Selecting one, she shoved it into the lock on the gate, turned it, and swung the gate inward. Faith found herself holding her breath as she walked through the gate and into the front yard of the estate._

_"Nice place," she muttered, nodding approvingly._

_"This used to be the summer home of some wealthy merchants, back in the day," Kate chuckled. "It will do nicely for our purposes, however."_

_"What do you mean?" Faith asked, glancing over at the older woman._

_"Follow me," Kate replied, walking up the drive. They reached the front door and Kate followed the same procedure with the lock as she had at the gate, except that she used another of the numerous keys hanging off of the ring. Swinging the front door open, she stepped inside, motioning for Faith to follow. Faith stepped into the house rather_ _reluctantly. She felt as though by crossing the threshold, she was abandoning fully her old life. Her boots fell on a wooden floor that was polished to shine in the light of the chandelier hanging in the foyer. A broad staircase opened before her, leading to the second floor and a railed overlook that peered down onto the foyer. _

"_Our bedrooms are upstairs," Kate announced. "I'll show you to yours in a minute. The library is this way," she continued, moving to a set of opened double doors to the left. The library was filled with books from wall to wall. Two antique desks sat facing each other in the center of the room. The air inside of the library smelled of old, yellowed paper; a smell that Faith would never forget. The red, black, and gold spines lined the walls with an ancient luster. Faith felt as though all of the knowledge in the world could be housed on those bookshelves. "The training room is over there," Kate said, pointing to another set of opened double doors across the foyer. "That is where you'll learn to fight." Faith could see the glittering edges of weapons shimmering in the light morning sun spilling in through the windows. "I'm sure all of this is quite overwhelming," Kate said softly. "I think I know what will make everything better."_

"_What's that?" Faith asked._

"_Are you hungry?" Kate inquired. Faith's eyes lit up and she nodded._

"_Yeah," she replied enthusiastically._

"_Chocolate chip pancakes it is then," Kate smiled, leading Faith out of the library, through the house, and to the kitchen. Though her Slayer was young and inexperienced, Kate knew that she would grow to be one of the greatest warriors the world had ever known. However, she knew that the life of a Slayer was difficult and she wanted to ease the transition as much as possible. Faith had much of life yet to witness and Kate wanted to be there to witness all of it at her side as both a mentor and friend._

…………………………….

"What happened to your leg?" Buffy questioned warily.

Riley looked down at his bloodied limb, his face paling. Glancing back up at his ex-girlfriend, he shakily replied, "I…I don't know."

"It could be a bullet wound," one of the soldiers suggested nervously.

"Or not," Faith added, her mouth set in a grim frown.

"No," Riley said, shaking his head rapidly. "No, it's not what you think it is."

"How do you know that?" Faith asked, moving away from the railing on the second floor. She quickly descended the staircase, joining Buffy on the first floor.

"There's no way," Riley added to himself. "I didn't come this far..."

"Riley," Buffy said gently. "We need to figure out what happened."

"If you're infected…" Faith began.

"This is mistake," Riley interrupted. "I'm not infected."

"You could have been bitten when we were trying to block the door," Buffy reasoned. "The zombies were right at our feet."

"So, what?" Riley asked angrily. "We don't know for sure what happened."

"Let's just inspect the wound," Giles suggested, joining the conversation. Most of the people housed in the Bronze had, by this time, realized that the zombies were no longer a threat to them at the present moment. Having regained their courage, they moved from the second floor back down to the first in order to witness more closely the conversation between Buffy and Riley.

"That's not a good idea," Faith interjected.

"Why not?" Giles asked exasperatedly.

"We don't know how the infection spreads. Obviously, when you're bitten you're turned. But what about if you're just scratched? Or what if you get some of their blood in your mouth or eyes? Or a cut on your hand?" She stressed. "If you touch that wound and some of the blood gets into your system, for all that we know, you could turn as well."

"So what should we do then?" Buffy asked, looking over at the younger girl for guidance.

Faith sighed. She did not like Riley, but she knew that he could be useful in their eventual escape from the Bronze. Though she felt wary of him, not only because he was a soldier, but because he had been a former love of Buffy's, she pitied him. She sensed how frightened he was at the prospect of being infected by whatever it was that caused people to turn into walking corpses with a lust for human flesh. "We wait," she replied.

"Wait?" Riley asked.

"Yes," Faith nodded. "We lock you in the backroom and see what happens. If you don't turn by the time morning rolls around, we'll just assume that you cut yourself on a piece of the door, or that you were shot, or that something else happened. But if you do turn, we'll know what to do."

"And what's that?" Riley shuddered, though he already knew the answer to his question.

"We'll have to kill you," Buffy replied softly.

"Great," Riley shook his head, looking down at the floor. "I don't like my odds."

"Would you rather stay one of them?" Faith asked.

"No," he answered, shaking his head solemnly.

"Alright," Faith said. "Give me your gun."

"I don't think so," one of the soldiers stepped forward.

"It's okay," another said. Faith recognized him as the man who had been guarding the stairs. "She knows what she's doing."

"What's your name?" Buffy asked as Faith smiled slightly.

"Jay," he replied. "I can guard you, sir, if you'd like," he offered to Riley.

"That's okay," Riley shook his head. Turning to Buffy, he smiled softly, "would you mind?"

"I can do it," Buffy nodded. Riley stepped forward and hesitatingly handed his gun to Faith, who shoved it into the back of her jeans.

"Buffy," she whispered, grabbing her girlfriend by the elbow as she and Riley walked past, heading to the backroom. "Are you sure that you're okay with this?" She asked.

"I don't want him to die alone," Buffy nodded. "Or with people he doesn't know."

"But if he turns," Faith warned, "you'll have to kill him."

"I know," Buffy smiled grimly. "I think it's better this way. I think he'd rather have someone that he cares about do it than someone he doesn't."

"But are _you_ okay with it?" Faith emphasized.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded slowly, sniffling slightly. "I'm okay." Moving away from Faith, Buffy walked towards the room in which Riley had already situated himself. She accepted a flashlight from Giles, entered the room, and closed the door behind them.

"I don't like this," Faith muttered, turning to the Watcher.

"Neither do I," Giles admitted. "But Buffy won't listen to anyone once she's made up her mind."

"What if something happens in there?" Faith asked. "What if he turns her too?"

"She's strong," Giles replied, laying a comforting hand on the dark haired Slayer's shoulder, "she can handle this."

"Doesn't matter how strong you are," Faith mumbled, walking away. "The bad things in this world can still get you."

Buffy clicked on the flashlight and sat down on a packing crate across the room from Riley. "How do you feel?" She asked.

"Fine," Riley replied. "I feel fine."

"Well," Buffy sighed, "we'll just have to wait. See what happens."

"Buffy," Riley said, looking down at his hands, "I don't think that I cut myself. Or that I was shot."

"No?" Buffy asked, a sense of dread overcoming her.

"I mean, I don't remember getting shot. I know what that feels like. This was different," Riley explained. "But maybe I wasn't bitten though. Maybe one of them just scratched me. We don't know if that means anything. I could be fine."

"You could be," Buffy nodded. "But you could also turn."

"Just, promise me one thing," Riley said pleadingly. "If I do…turn…kill me quickly. I don't want the last thing I remember before meeting my maker to be the desire to eat someone."

"I promise," Buffy said sadly. She surveyed the man sitting in front of her. His face looked pale, though that could have been a result of the blood loss. Small beads of sweat dotted his forehead and his lips looked cracked and broken. Glancing down at his hands, she saw that they were shaking. Tightening her grip on her gun, she realized that it was only a matter of time before he would die. What happened after that, she would have to wait to see.


	21. What Lingers Within

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Again, sorry it's taking so long to get these updates out, but things are just crazy right now.

Previously:

"Just, promise me one thing," Riley said pleadingly. "If I do…turn…kill me quickly. I don't want the last thing I remember before meeting my maker to be the desire to eat someone."

"I promise," Buffy said sadly. She surveyed the man sitting in front of her. His face looked pale, though that could have been a result of the blood loss. Small beads of sweat dotted his forehead and his lips looked cracked and broken. Glancing down at his hands, she saw that they were shaking. Tightening her grip on her gun, she realized that it was only a matter of time before he would die. What happened after that, she would have to wait to see.

Chapter Twenty: What Lingers Within:

_The sun was shining in through the window of the library, illuminating the dust that lingered amongst the ancient tomes and bound rolls of parchment. Faith rested her chin on her palm, sitting at one of the desks in the center of the room with a pen tucked loosely in her other hand, and gazed out of the window at the trees blowing the breeze outside. Summer had just dawned on Boston and the trees were encompassed in a shield of vibrant green. Faith could almost feel the sticky warmth seeping in through the window, coating her skin in a layer of humidity. _

_The mansion was silent. Kate had departed earlier in the morning, for what she had not said, and left Faith to her studies in the library. Faith glanced back down at her Latin lesson book. She was learning quickly. Though she had never performed well in school, Kate seemed to have beckoned forth her academic side. Faith was excited that she was exceeding her Watcher's expectations. She had never exceeded anyone's expectations before, and now, she was motivated to become a better person than she had been prior to her calling as the Slayer. Faith tapped the pen impatiently against her notebook. Though she was advancing quickly through her studies of Latin, and they held her interest captivated, she could not focus on anything but the rustling leaves outside of her window._

_The young girl leaned back in her chair and sighed heavily. She had been slaying vampires for almost a year. Her muscles had hardened and sat beneath her skin confidently, waiting for use, and eagerly anticipating the moment when she would unleash them on a foe. Vampires in Boston had become afraid of her. She held power now and she enjoyed the feeling. Months ago, she had been no one. No creature of the night would ever have been afraid of her; on the contrary, vampires would have laughed at her false arrogance and assumed toughness and simply drained her as if she presented no challenge. Though the vampires were afraid of her, the people that she saved were terrified of her as well. They did not understand who or what she was, or how she was able to destroy such a powerful monster so easily. No one ever thanked her for her efficient administration of her duties; in fact, they would stare up at her, consternation staining their faces, and they would run from her as if she was something terrible to behold._

_When she had brought this up to Kate, her Watcher had simply smiled and told her that a Slayer's job was often a thankless one, but that someone had to do it. Faith could accept that notion easily enough, though she still wanted someone to appreciate what she did. Faith smiled slightly when she saw the glittering silver bracelet that Christy had given her on her thirteenth birthday two years before resting happily on her wrist. Another birthday had come; Faith was fifteen years old. Looking around the library, she realized, not the first time, how drastically her life had changed in the past two years. She did not know whether she had thought that she and Christy would have been together forever, but, she had never imagined in the gravest of her nightmares that her girlfriend would be murdered in front of her. _

_Faith still awoke late in the night, covered in sweat and panting, from dreams in which she could hear the echoing of a gun and see a splash of red blood staining the road. She never saw Christy's face in her dreams, however, and despite her best efforts, Faith found that her girlfriend's face was starting to fade from her memory. Everyday that passed, she lost a little bit more. Closing her eyes, Faith rubbed her face wearily. She could feel herself growing older with each second, the gravity of her duties settling upon her shoulders like a great weight. Vaguely, she heard a car door slam. She could hear her Watcher's heeled feet clicking up the sidewalk. The rattling of Kate fiddling with the lock on the door brought a smile to her face, which stayed when she saw the older woman appear through the doorway. _

_"Hello, Faith," Kate said warmly. "How's the Latin coming?"_

_"Slow," Faith admitted. _

_"Ah," Kate replied, smiling. "No patience for dead languages on such a beautiful day?"_

_"Something like that," Faith replied good-naturedly._

_"Well, perhaps we can do something else. I think you'll enjoy it more," Kate intimated._

_"Yeah?" Faith asked, forcibly restraining her excitement. She loved training with her Watcher and she imagined that Kate was referring to a training session, rather than anything else. Though Kate was not a Slayer, and thus did not possess supernatural strength, she encouraged Faith to unleash her full strength when they were training. Faith relished the feel of her releasing all of her strength upon the punching bags and gloves that Kate would wear when she was able to practice with weapons. She felt restless when she was not moving, but training pleased her muscles almost as much as fighting a vampire did._

_"I bought something for you today," Kate said, sitting down in the chair across from Faith. Faith noticed, at that moment, the brown paper wrapped package tucked underneath her Watcher's arm. "I know that it's your birthday today," she added._

_"How did you know?" Faith asked confusedly. "I never told you."_

_"The Coven identified you as a Potential Slayer several months before you were actually called. In that time, the Council gathered as much information about you as was possible. They were going to send me here to train you regardless of your status. But the day I was en route to Boston, they contacted me and told me that you had been called," Kate explained._

_"So you knew all about me before you even came?" Faith asked. _

_"Yes," Kate admitted guiltily. "Anyway," she continued, "here." She slid the package across the desk to Faith. Gingerly unwrapping the brown paper, Faith revealed a white box. "Open in," Kate encouraged. Faith smiled softly and lifted the lid of the box. Lying inside was a silver blade with a grooved leather handle that shimmered in the light._

_"It's beautiful," Faith whispered, picking up the knife. The handle fit perfectly in her hand. "Thank you," she said, blinking away the wetness that had formed behind her eyes._

_"You're welcome," Kate nodded. "You look good with it. Now," she said, "it's your birthday. What would you like to do?"_

_"I don't know," Faith shrugged. "I've never really done anything special."_

_"Well," Kate said quickly, to hide the sadness that she felt for the young girl, "let's start a new tradition then, shall we?"_

_"Like what?" Faith asked, smiling as she leaned back in her chair. Her eyes drifted down to the knife and she wondered what she had done to warrant such a beautiful gift. But she smiled, realizing that Kate did not give her the gift to reward her for anything or to bribe her into doing something; instead, Kate had given her the gift simply because she cared, much like Christy had given her the bracelet for no other reason than the love that she had felt for Faith._

_"Let's get ice cream," Kate suggested, rising to her feet. Faith chuckled, but nodded._

_"It's not too childish for a Slayer to get ice cream?" She joked._

_"I won't tell anyone," Kate winked. Faith watched the older woman walk out of the library and followed her. As they left the house, the warm sun touched her face and Faith felt complete; she had every that she needed, a destiny that she could call her own, and a friend who quickly was becoming the mother that she should have had._

………………………… 

Buffy stared across the room at Riley, realizing for the first time that her Slayer senses were starting to warn her against him. She shuddered, knowing what she would have to do, and wondering if she could actually perform the act. The gun weighed heavily in her hand. She squeezed the grip so tightly that her knuckles were turning a ghostly shade of white. Buffy closed her eyes briefly, inhaled deeply, and exhaled. Slowly releasing her grip to a reasonable level of strength, she leaned back against the wall, and opened her eyes. Riley was shivering. The blood had stopped flowing from the wound several minutes after they had locked themselves in the room. However, Riley was becoming worse and Buffy knew that he had not been shot, or wounded in any other way. Instead, he had been bitten, or scratched, by one of the zombies and he was turning. Had he been wounded any other way, his health would not have so rapidly declined.

Riley was not just turning into a zombie; he was dying. But he had requested that Buffy wait until she was sure that he had become one of the walking dead before she shot him. She supposed that Riley wanted to squeeze every last second out of life while he could, even if his last moments were not pleasant. "Buffy?" He asked weakly, forcibly prying open his eyes.

"Yeah?" She replied quietly, gazing at him with pity in her eyes.

"This is all my fault," he said agonizingly.

Buffy furrowed her brows confusedly. "This isn't your fault," she corrected. "You didn't know that any of this was going to happen."

"I should have," Riley admonished himself.

"What're you talking about?" Buffy asked, not wanting Riley to die thinking that he was responsible for the end of the world as they had known it, but also curious as to what Riley knew about the zombie attack. He had never spoken to her before about its cause, but he seemed willing to discuss it now.

"The Initiative," Riley wheezed, pausing to catch his breath. His hands were shaking. A cold, clammy sweat had broken out all over his body and whenever he breathed, he felt like a fire was burning in his lungs. He could not stop shivering from the cold that had seemed to settle in the room and he wondered how Buffy had managed to stay warm.

"What about it?" Buffy pressed, leaning forward, and resting her elbows on her knees. She carefully placed the gun on the packing crate next to her and focused all of her attention on Riley's words.

"They did experiments," Riley explained slowly. "Maggie didn't think that I knew. But I did. I saw things down there. I didn't understand why they wanted to experiment on the demons. But I guessed that they needed to learn more about them before they could neutralize them."

"Experiments," Buffy muttered. Perhaps the Initiative had been experimenting with zombies, or, perhaps it had created them.

"They had started something new a couple of months ago. It was all very hush hush. No one spoke about it. But the best scientists were sent down to sub level three," Riley continued.

"What was on sub level three?" Buffy asked eagerly.

Riley shrugged and the movement required more effort than it should have. "I don't know. Not for certain anyway," he replied. Coughing, he paused for several long moments to gather his breath before he continued. "Some of the guys had their theories though."

"What did they think was going on?" Buffy asked inquisitively.

"One guy thought that they were testing the DNA of the hostiles. He said that he had hooked up with one of the women scientists and she had told him everything. No one really believed him though. Another guy claimed to have gone down there and said that he saw the scientists testing some kind of virus. He said that he saw a guy strapped onto a table and that a doctor injected him with something. But I don't know. All of it could have been rumors," Riley finished.

"Or maybe not," Buffy responded gravely. "Maybe it is a virus. After all, it spreads to others."

"Or maybe hell just ran out of room," Riley joked.

"That's not funny," Buffy said, but smiled anyway.

"I'm sorry," Riley said seriously.

"For what?" She asked.

"Everything. But especially for this. I shouldn't have asked you to come in here," he regretted.

"I want to do this," Buffy insisted.

"You want to shoot me?" Riley smiled. "Guess you really hate me, huh?"

"No," Buffy said quickly, before she realized that he was joking with her again. Then she smiled softly. "No," she reiterated. "But I wouldn't want anyone else to do it. I care for you too much to let some stranger kill you."

"Thanks," he said. "I think….I think I'm just going to go to sleep for a while."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Buffy began, but she could see that Riley was starting to lose his battle with death. His eyes drifted shut and he slumped slightly against the wall. Reaching over, Buffy grabbed her gun. She could still see the gentle rise and fall of his chest, but it was becoming shallower. Finally, after several long and agonizing moments, it stopped altogether.

Buffy sucked in a breath and waited, her fingers restlessly exploring the grip of the gun. Finally, his body began to stir. Cold dread spread throughout the blonde Slayer's limbs. Though she knew that it was likely that Riley had been bitten and would thus turn, she had held a lingering hope that he would not. His eyes opened, but Riley was gone. In his place, a ravenous, horrific creature arose. His eyes were dead and stained yellow. He lunged forward, but Buffy was waiting. With her gun aimed at his head, she squeezed the trigger. The bullet shot forth from the gun, struck him in the skull, and ceased his second life before it had begun.

…………………………….

"What do you think is going on in there?" Joyce asked, crossing her arms across her chest, and walking up to Faith.

"I don't know," Faith said worriedly. As she glanced around the room, surveying the people left, she realized that they would have to leave the Bronze. They could not risk another attack.

"What're you thinking?" Giles asked, looking over at her curiously.

"We have to get out of here," Faith muttered. "If not tomorrow, the next day. We can't linger here anymore."

"Why do you t-think that they attacked us?" Tara wondered aloud.

"They've run out of food," Giles guessed. "We're the only ones left."

"That's a comforting thought," Willow murmured, wrapping her arms protectively around Tara.

"Do you think that Riley will turn?" Joyce asked.

The dark haired Slayer sighed and shrugged. "I don't know."

"Hey," the soldier named Jay said, approaching Faith, "I'm sorry, I don't know your name."

"Faith," she replied, watching him warily, though out of all of the soldiers she trusted him the most.

"I don't know what's going on in there," Jay began. "But I know one thing."

"What's that?" Faith asked.

"We can't stay here much longer. To be honest, I don't know those other guys very well," he said, motioning to his comrades. "I don't really know you either, but I saw that you know how to handle yourself when shit hits the fan. And if Riley dies…"

"What're you trying to say?" Faith interrupted.

"We need a plan," Jay finished. "And we need someone to carry it out."

"You want me to lead you?" Faith asked in surprise.

"Not just me," Jay said. "I talked with some of the other people…the ones that you helped save earlier. They all want you to lead us. They noticed that when everyone else was afraid to leave, you want out to bring more people here, despite the danger to yourself. They trust you…we, trust you."

Faith chuckled humorlessly to herself. She had never been a leader and the prospect of the responsibility lay heavily on her shoulders. "Faith," Giles said softly, capturing her attention. "You know that Buffy will stand beside you and help you. So will we. You don't have to do this alone." Giles could see the hesitation on the former rogue's features, but he knew that Faith could handle herself. Though she may not have looked to herself as a leader, Giles could see one growing inside of her everyday. She just needed an opportunity to discover that herself.

"Alright," Faith said. "Give me a few hours and I'll have a plan."

Jay nodded and smiled, clapping her on the shoulder. "Yes, sir…well, ma'am," he corrected sheepishly as he walked away.

One of the remaining civilians walked over to take his place, a young man who looked to be in his thirties. He had been wearing a suit when the attack took place and his tie still hung loosely about his neck. "We were wondering what to do about the bodies," he addressed Faith.

"The bodies?" Faith asked.

"Yeah," he said, motioning to the dead zombies lying on the floor in the center of the Bronze and by the door. "What should we do with them?"

"Nothing," Faith replied quickly. "Don't touch them. Like I said before, we don't know how this thing spreads. I don't want anyone getting infected because they got some blood on their hands trying to clean up."

"Shouldn't we cover them?" Joyce asked, eyeing the bodies warily. Faith noted her reaction and realized that, while the bodies did not disturb her, the rest of the people were bothered by their presence.

"If you can find a sheet, a tarp, or anything else to cover them with," Faith instructed the man, "then go ahead." He nodded and began to walk away when Faith called him back. "Hey," she said. "What's your name?"

"Aidan," he replied.

"Aidan," Faith repeated. "Can you do something else for me?"

"Sure," he nodded.

"Get a list of everyone's names and what they did before the attack," Faith said.

"Why do you want that?" Willow asked.

"We might be stuck together for a while. I want to know who everyone is. Besides," Faith added, "someone here might be a doctor or something else that would be useful to us. But right now, we don't know."

"I don't know much about zombies, but what I do know might help you come up with a good plan," Giles suggested. "Would you like to consult with me?"

"Sure," Faith smiled, happy that Giles wanted to be included in her decision making process, "two heads are better than one, right?" Giles was about to respond when a gunshot rang out in the Bronze. Faith uneasily looked over at the door leading to the backroom. "I guess he turned."

"That means you're in charge," Joyce stated, looking over at the young girl.

Faith smiled apprehensively and said, "Stranger things have happened."


	22. Best Laid Plans

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. They give me so much inspiration; it's great. I've outlined the rest of what I want to do with this story and its sequel (yes, I am doing a sequel) so I'm psyched about pushing forward with this. I think you guys are going to like it.

Previously:

A gunshot rang out in the Bronze. Faith uneasily looked over at the door leading to the backroom. "I guess Riley turned."

"That means you're in charge," Joyce stated, looking over at the young girl.

Faith smiled apprehensively and said, "Stranger things have happened."

Chapter Twenty-One: Best Laid Plans:

_"You look all somber today," Faith commented as she plopped down at one of the desks in the library with a bottle of water in her hand. She had been training on the punching bag, allowing her restless muscles a few moment of release, and her body felt completely satiated. Her heart was slowing to its normal pace from its heightened rate during her strenuous workout and she breathed deeply, relishing the calm that had settled on her nerves._

_Kate chuckled without raising her eyes from the newspaper lying open on the desk in front of her. "Thank you," she said sarcastically, "that was the look I was going for when I got up this morning."_

_Faith laughed and took a drink from her water bottle. "Someone didn't get her cup of tea this morning," she joked._

_"No, I didn't," Kate grumbled, briefly squeezing the bridge of her nose and shutting her eyes before she opened them again and looked up at Faith. Despite their good natured bantering, Faith could see a certain fear lingering behind her Watcher's eyes._

_"What's wrong?" Faith asked seriously._

_"You know," Kate began, circling the young girl's question, "you've learned quite a bit since you were called. When I first found you, you didn't know a thing about what being a Slayer entailed. But look at you now. You're everything that a Slayer should be."_

_"Cut the shit, Kate," Faith replied with frustration. "What's going on?"_

_Kate sighed and leaned back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap. "You've fought many vampires since you were called and you've defeated them all."_

_"I know," Faith stated._

_"But those vampires," Kate explained, "they were as new to all of this as you. Not to say that they weren't a challenge," she elaborated upon seeing the sour look on Faith's face. "They were quite difficult. But they weren't the toughest vampires that you could have faced."_

_"Kate," Faith said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the desk, "what're you trying to say?"_

_"Read this," she answered, pushing the newspaper over to her Slayer. Faith picked it up and skimmed the headline. Another body had been found by the harbor with blood loss as the presumed cause of death. _

_"So there's a nest down by the docks," Faith shrugged. "We'll go clean it out, like we should have done last night," she added in a mutter._

_"I don't believe that this is the work of a group of vampires," Kate said somberly, ignoring the younger girl's comment._

_"What do you think is doing it then?" Faith asked._

_"One vampire," Kate replied simply._

_"No way," Faith shook her head. "This is what…the tenth body they've found down there in two days? All signs point to a nest, Kate."_

_"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you," Kate nodded. "But not this time."_

_"Why not?" Faith asked uneasily._

_"I've heard some things," Kate explained. "People are talking. They're saying that an ancient vampire has come to Boston. They say that he's so old that his feet are cloven."_

_"That's not good," Faith mumbled. _

_Kate smiled softly. "No, it's not," she agreed. "Apparently, his name is Kakistos. I've heard of him. He's a monster. And he's not like any other vampire that you've faced."_

_"How so?" Faith asked inquisitively._

_"He's much stronger because he's been alive for far longer. I don't know how many centuries he's plagued this earth, but he's learned quite a bit in that time. Rumors suggest that he may have even killed several Slayers in that time, though I can't prove that one way or the other. The Council doesn't know much about him."_

_"So what're we supposed to do?" Faith asked nervously. She knew what Kate would say. She was the Slayer and it was her job…her duty…to destroy any evil creature that walked the earth, no matter how powerful it was._

_Kate sighed heavily. "You know what we're supposed to do," she replied tiredly. "But that's not what I would like to do."_

_"What would you like to do?" Faith questioned._

_"Run," Kate replied instantly. _

_"You want to run away?" Faith asked in surprise._

_"That's what I want, yes," Kate answered, shame staining her voice, "but that's not what we'll do."_

_"He's just a vampire," Faith stated. "I can fight him."_

_"Of course you can," Kate lied. "I just worry, that's all. I don't want anything to happen to you."_

_"Nothing's going to happen to me," Faith insisted, smiling crookedly._

_Kate felt her heart break when she saw her Slayer smile. She knew that Faith was not ready to fight Kakistos. The vampire was too strong and Faith was too inexperienced. Had she been given another year or two to train Faith, she was certain that the young girl would have been able to defeat Kakistos, even if doing so cost her a great deal. However, Kakistos was in Boston now and posed a greater threat to its people than they would ever know. "We can assume that he's hiding somewhere in the harbor. There are plenty of abandoned factories in that district."_

_"I take it we're thinking recon?" Faith asked, rising to her feet as Kate did the same._

_"We'll try to find him today and we'll attack tomorrow," Kate explained. "We're doing all of this in the daylight. I don't want to face him in the dark."_

_"Me neither," Faith muttered. "Kate," she said, capturing her Watcher's attention._

_"Yes?" Kate asked._

_"Everything's going to be okay," Faith smiled. _

_Kate watched her Slayer walk out into the foyer, where she grabbed her jacked from the coat rack. Sighing grimly, the Watcher shook her head, "Not this time."_

……………………………

Buffy lowered the gun to her side, staring numbly as Riley's body slumped down onto the floor. She was surprised to find tears streaking down her cheeks. Sniffling, she placed her gun in the waistband of her jeans and sat back down on the packing crate. Riley's blood was seeping across the floor, extending in every direction like a ripple in a pond. _Infected blood_, Buffy thought to herself. Riley had believed that the zombie invasion had been caused by a virus that the Initiative had created on sublevel three. Buffy smiled bitterly, wondering if all of the death and destruction that she had witness over the past two weeks and several days had been caused because some scientists in a laboratory somewhere had decided that they wanted to play God.

Buffy wondered sometimes whether being a Slayer even mattered and whether fighting the forces of darkness did nothing more than provide people with false hope. The more she experienced of the world, the more she started to understand that demons were only responsible for a fraction of the evil to which the world was subjected. Human beings composed the greatest threat to the world for they possessed the greatest evil – evil that could not be explained by human nature itself, but evil that just existed in mankind with no purpose. Leaning forward so that her elbows were resting on her knees, she cupped her face with her hands.

Riley had been a good man. Though she knew now that he was not the person that she was destined to be with, she still mourned his loss. He had been good to her. Her attempt at normalcy had failed miserably. Buffy realized now that she was never meant to be normal, nor was she ever meant to be with anyone normal. She should have recognized that after her relationship with Angel had failed, but she had been too preoccupied with the notion that she could change her destiny forcibly. She smiled when she thought of Faith. When Faith had entered her life, she had realized for the first time how much she loved slaying. Her mother had hoped that Faith could become the Slayer in her place. Though Buffy had spent years rebelling against her calling, when her role as Slayer had been threatened, she realized how badly she wanted to retain it.

But her eyes had not been opened enough for her to see that Faith had never been a threat. Instead, Faith had always been her sister Slayer – the only other person in the world who understood what it was like to be her. But she had rejected the younger girl because she had been jealous of her. Faith had been wild, beautiful, and dangerous – all of the things that Buffy had wanted to be but could not be because she was burdened with friends, family, and responsibility. Those burdens Faith had wanted and Buffy had never appreciated. Sitting alone in the dark, with the body of her ex-boyfriend laying in front of her, she realized how badly she wanted those burdens back.

She had never been given time to mourn for Xander. But she cried now. She cried for him, Riley, and Anya. She cried for all of the people that she had lost over the years and all of the people that she knew that she would lose before the sun would set on her life. When she had finished crying, she sat alone in the dark, wishing that she could cry more tears. She could feel Faith's worry pouring off of the younger girl. Since she had given in to her feelings for the dark haired Slayer, she had begun to feel their bond more clearly. She had always known when Faith was around; she had heard a gentle humming in the back of her mind that just grew and grew until it threatened to drown out everything else. She could hear that humming now, but it was stained with concern.

Rising to her feet, she took one, last look at Riley and opened the door. Candles flickered in the Bronze, lighting the club with a soft, amber glow. For a moment, Buffy forgot the terror that had overcome her when the zombies had entered the Bronze not long ago. Then it all came back to her. Rubbing the last of her tears from her cheeks, she smiled when she saw Willow approaching her. "Hey, Will," she said softly.

"You okay?" Willow asked, crossing her arms across her chest so that it looked to Buffy as if the witch was hugging herself.

"Five by five," Buffy answered absently, allowing her eyes to search the room for Faith, but she could not find her. "Where's…" she began, but Willow interrupted.

"Faith?" She asked, smiling knowingly. She chuckled quietly to herself and answered, "Faith has been elected our new leader."

"What?" Buffy asked in surprise.

"The people have spoken," Willow joked. "They want Faith."

"Really?" Buffy questioned. "When did this happen?"

"While you were in there with Riley," Willow said, nodding towards the room from which Buffy had emerged. "I guess everyone assumed that he was a goner. Looks like he is."

"Where is she?" Buffy asked.

"Upstairs with Giles. They're talking strategy," Willow replied sarcastically.

"I thought that you were giving her a chance, Will," Buffy admonished.

"I am," she replied defensively. "But that doesn't mean that I have to be happy with the idea that the person that once held a knife to my throat is going to be leading us out into the land of the dead."

"Fair enough," Buffy nodded.

"So are you okay with this?" Willow asked, narrowing her eyes as she watched Buffy's reaction. The blonde Slayer had seemed surprised that Faith had been chosen to lead them.

"Of course," Buffy spoke, bristling tensely. She had to admit that the news that Faith had been chosen as their leader was shocking, though the rest of the people in the Bronze were not aware of Faith's history. Still, she wondered if her girlfriend could handle the challenge of leading them and the responsibility that it would entail. She also had to admit that she was jealous of Faith – yet again. She had always been the responsible one, the one chosen to lead because no one else could. Though she knew that she should be happy that Faith was coming into her own, she felt like she was being pushed aside. "Come on," Buffy said, leading Willow up the stairs. Willow left her side to join Tara and Buffy looked across the room, her eyes finally settling on Faith, who was sitting against the wall with Giles in front of her and Jay to her left.

……………………………….

"Okay," Faith sighed. "Tell me what you know, G-man."

"Would you not…" Giles began, starting to complain about Faith's choice of nickname for him when he stopped. Xander had always called him that. Smiling sadly, he dropped the thought and started again. "Zombies have never been my specialty. I feel I should warn you of that before we begin. But that being said, I do know a little about them. And I've had some experience with them, other than this."

"Good," Faith nodded. "Tell me about it."

"Before you arrived in Sunnydale," Giles explained, "we had an incident. There was this ancient tribal mask. It brought dead things back to life."

"Ancient tribal mask?" Faith asked, sincerely hoping that Giles was joking.

"Yes," he replied weakly, seeing the bemused look on the younger girl's face. "Joyce hung it in her bedroom."

"How do you know that?" Faith teased.

"Have you never heard of the idea of respecting your elders?" Giles asked embarrassedly.

"So, ancient tribal mask?" Jay asked in an attempt to steer the conversation back on target.

"Yes," Giles replied gratefully, "the mask caused all of the people in town who had recently died to become alive again. However, they were not so concerned with eating people as with causing chaos. The mask held the power of a zombie demon called Ovu Mobani. Once we killed the demon, all of the zombies disappeared."

"Do you think that something like that is happening now?" Faith asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, no," Giles answered, pained at her crestfallen expression.

"That sucks," Jay muttered.

"Those zombies did not act like your stereotypical zombie. These zombies, however, display characteristics that are known to be common for all zombie incidents throughout the world. In other words, this probably isn't mystical in nature," Giles explained. "These zombies are very real."

"So what else do we know?" Faith asked in frustration.

"A zombie is a person who has died, but whose body has been reanimated. Unlike a vampire, a zombie retains no semblance of its former personality or reasoning capability. It's driven by one need alone – to feed on human flesh," Giles explained grimly. "To kill a zombie, you must destroy its brain. These are universal characteristics."

"Okay," Faith nodded. "So do our zombies seem to have any individual characteristics?"

"They do," Giles smiled, happy with her chain of logic. "Generally, when a person is bitten by a zombie and dies, the person becomes a zombie. In this instance, however, it seems that even non-fatal wounds produce the same result. Even more, we can't be certain that bites alone constitute the necessary medium to transmit the zombie 'infection,' so to speak," he said. "Scratches may transmit it as well."

"Or blood or saliva," Jay added. "Like you said," he said, nodding at Faith, "we don't know if getting their blood or saliva in the mouth, eyes, or any breaks in the skin will transmit it as well."

"Yes," Giles agreed, "which makes this situation all the more precarious."

"Great," Faith muttered.

"As a simple, non-fatal bite will infect someone, we have to assume definitively that something in the saliva or blood is transmitting the zombie contamination," Giles reasoned. "The rate at which a person turns seems to vary greatly as well."

"Yeah," Faith agreed thoughtfully. "Anya said that Xander turned right away. But Anya didn't turn, as far as we know, before she, hopefully, shot herself. And it took Riley a few hours."

"Therefore," Giles said, "we must assume that turning is dependent on other factors. Xander was bitten in the neck. He lost a great deal of blood right away. His wound was a fatal one. Riley, on the other hand, was bitten or scratched on the leg. Anya was bitten on the shoulder. Both of those wounds were non-fatal in themselves. Furthermore, infection, so to speak, could be delayed by strength, age, the capabilities of the immune system, and the list could go in indefinitely. However, people do turn, so the infection must supersede all of those factors eventually."

"Why are the zombies wary of sunlight though?" Faith asked.

"They're not always," Jay pointed out. "The zombies attacked initially during the day."

"Yes," Giles nodded. "They did attack the first time during the day. But Faith is also right; they were reluctant to amass as a group during the day."

"Maybe the sunlight hurts their eyes," Jay shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Giles asked.

"Well, they're dead. They're decaying. Maybe their eyes can't handle the sunlight anymore because they've started to decay as well," he reasoned.

"That's an excellent point," Giles smiled. "I hadn't quite thought of that."

"Thanks," Jay said sheepishly.

"We have another problem too," Faith acknowledged. "The zombies seemed uncoordinated at first. Like they were mindless monsters. But this last attack…it was coordinated. They knew what they were doing."

"It's like they're getting smarter," Jay shuddered.

"Perhaps they are," Giles said. "As they become accustomed to their environment, perhaps they're learning how to live in it. They know that they need food to survive and we may very well be the only people left in Sunnydale. Therefore, they'll try anything to get what they want. Besides, just as there are some notable and industrious people in the human race who seem to be much smarter and adept than others, maybe there are industrious and exceptional zombies."

"That's a comforting thought," Faith smiled grimly.

"Isn't it?" Giles joked.

"Maybe they're remembering things," Jay added. "They used to be people. Maybe they still remember things from when they were alive."

"Like how to work as a group," Faith nodded. "I think that Riley's original plan for escape is the best," she concluded.

"Yes?" Giles asked.

"We need to find two, large vans. I don't like buses, though. They're too unwieldy. We need something that can go fast without putting everyone inside at risk," Faith stated.

"I agree," Jay nodded.

"Tomorrow morning, we'll try to find some vehicles. We'll bring them back here," Faith said slowly, figuring out her plan as she spoke.

"There's a loading bay behind the stage," Jay said. "We can drive the vans up the ramp and into the Bronze."

"Good," Giles nodded. "We'll have to pack everything that could be of any use here."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "We don't want to have to come back for anything. And I don't want to leave anything behind that we could use. We'll have to stay here again tomorrow night. But the next morning, we'll hit the road."

"Sounds like a good plan," Giles smiled encouragingly.

Faith nodded, though she was uncertain. She wondered if she was ready to handle the challenges lying before her. She suddenly felt Buffy's eyes on her and she looked up, seeing her girlfriend standing by the stairs. Buffy looked as though she had been crying. Faith wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but Jay had started speaking again. Ripping her eyes from Buffy's face, she looked over at him. "What?" She asked apologetically.

Jay smiled knowingly, aware that the blonde girl had walked up the stairs, and repeated himself, "I made that list for you of the people here." He handed her a napkin on which he had written everyone's names and former occupations.

"Thanks," she said, looking down at it. "This will be useful."

"Good," Jay nodded, rising to his feet. "I'm on patrol. I better get down there."

Faith nodded and watched him walk away, happy to have another ally. "If you don't need me anymore," Giles began.

"Go ahead," Faith interrupted. Giles smiled and stood, walking over to where Tara, Willow, and Joyce were sitting. Faith let her eyes fall on Buffy again, who was walking over to her.

"Hey," Buffy said softly, sitting down beside Faith.

"I don't know if I can do this," Faith replied quietly.

Buffy looked over at her girlfriend, sensing her apprehension. "You can," Buffy said confidently, truly believing, in that moment, in Faith. "I know it," she said and took the younger girl's hand in her own. "I believe in you."


	23. Keys

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews.

Previously:

"Tomorrow morning, we'll try to find some vehicles. We'll bring them back here," Faith said slowly, figuring out her plan as she spoke.

"There's a loading bay behind the stage," Jay said. "We can drive the vans up the ramp and into the Bronze."

"Good," Giles nodded. "We'll have to pack everything that could be of any use here."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "We don't want to have to come back for anything. And I don't want to leave anything behind that we could use. We'll have to stay here again tomorrow night. But the next morning, we'll hit the road."

Chapter Twenty-Two: Keys:

_Faith watched the scenery fly by as she sat in the car, which Kate was driving towards the harbor. Though she knew that Kate believed in her abilities as a Slayer, she felt a certain sense of doubt creeping of off the older woman. Underlying everything that she had said rested a current of deception. Finally, the car came to a stop in an alley bordering the industrial district of Boston, where the factories had reigned supreme at the turn of the century before industry moved from America to foreign countries, of which Faith had never heard. "We here?" She asked, her voice breaking the silence in the car. _

_Kate jumped, startled by the sound of her Slayer's voice. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She could feel evil surrounding them. Vampires were notorious for using abandoned warehouses and factories as their shelters during the day. Kate wondered how many monsters lurked in the shadows around them, peering out of blackened windows at them, lustfully desiring to taste their blood. "Yes," she replied swiftly. Releasing her safety belt, she opened her car door, and stepped out onto the asphalt. Faith watched her momentarily before doing the same._

"_What're we looking for?" She asked._

"_Rats," Kate replied, smiling over at her charge, who was staring back at her confusedly._

"_Rats?" Faith asked._

"_Yes," Kate replied. "The buildings that are not inhabited with vampires will be teeming with rats. The buildings that are will be completely devoid of the furry, little monsters."_

_Faith chuckled. "Not a fan of vermin, huh?" She asked._

"_Not in the least," Kate replied. "Come, let's begin our search." _

_For the better part of the afternoon, they searched the warehouses and factories by the docks, desperately hoping to find Kakistos' lair before night fell. Finally, after several hours of their exhaustive search, they stumbled upon a dilapidated building with windows that had been sloppily painted black. Pulling herself up onto a dumpster, Faith peered into one of the windows between flecks of paint. She could see people moving about inside, but her Slayer senses told her that the people were not people at all. They were vampires. Thinking that she had discovered yet another vampire nest by the docks, she prepared to climb down, when another creature caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. _

_Lingering in the shadows of the warehouse, a massive vampire stood. His face bore its demonic form and his yellowed eyes shifted about the room purposefully and confidently. Faith looked closer, hoping to find some indication that the vampire, which was obviously powerful, was the vampire for which she searched. Finally, it stepped forward and Faith let her eyes fall to its feet, which were cloven. Sucking in a breath, she moved away from the window and jumped down the street as quietly as she could._

"_Well?" Kate asked eagerly._

"_This is the place," Faith affirmed. "He looks tough," she added, mostly to herself, but Kate caught the words._

"_He is," she affirmed quietly. "Let's get out of here before they notice our presence." As the two women moved away from the warehouse, neither noticed a pair of eyes staring out of the window, through which Faith had just been peering, and watching them leave hungrily._

_Faith climbed back into the car and sighed heavily. "I counted at least eight other vampires in there with him," she reported._

_"That's not good," Kate muttered._

_"This isn't going to be easy," Faith replied pessimistically._

_"I agree," Kate said, but smiled over at her softly. "But we'll get through it."_

_"Damn straight," Faith agreed firmly, comforted by her Watcher's words._

_"Faith," Kate began, but stopped. The Slayer looked over at her inquisitively, but the Watcher shook her head. "Never mind."_

_"Are you sure?" Faith asked._

_Kate nodded. "Let's go home, shall we? We have to prepare for tomorrow."_

…………………………………….

"So…," Faith began cautiously, "are you okay?"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, looking over at Faith.

"You just shot Riley, B," Faith reminded her gently. "That couldn't have felt good."

"No," Buffy shook her head. "It didn't."

"But you're okay?" Faith asked again.

Buffy smiled over at her and lifted Faith's hand to her lips, gently kissing it. "I'm fine," she reassured her, though the image of Riley's body slumping to the ground haunted even her waking eyes.

"Good," Faith breathed a sigh of relief. "So what do you think of all of this?" She asked, referring to her new status as leader of the small band of survivors.

"I think that you'll do fine," Buffy spoke carefully, hoping that her voice did not betray the doubts that she felt. Though she wanted to believe whole heartedly in Faith, she could not easily forget how effortlessly Faith had allowed herself to fall into darkness. She worried that if Faith lost her reason to walk in the light, whatever that reason was, she would never find it again. "I know that you're worried that you'll mess everything up, but you won't, Faith. You have to have confidence in yourself."

"Nothing has ever gone right for me, B," Faith whispered. "My whole life…everything's just spiraled out of control. Even when I thought I was standing on solid ground, everything around me was shifting violently. I've never been able to stop any of the bad things from happening and I've never been able to protect anyone that I cared about," she said, looking down at her hands. "I don't want this to end the same way as everything else. I don't want to fail you."

"Faith," Buffy said tearfully, moving closer to her, and touching her cheek gently with the palm of her hand, "you're not going to fail me."

"You don't know that," Faith began anxiously, but Buffy interrupted her.

"No, I don't know that," she said firmly. "But I know that I trust you. I know that you'll do everything that you can to keep all of us safe. And I also know that if that's not enough, there's nothing more that anyone could have done."

"I can't lose anyone else," Faith replied, closing her eyes to prevent herself from breaking down into tears. "I just can't."

"Neither can I," Buffy said softly, resting her head on Faith's shoulder. "But we don't have much choice in that matter. The best that we can do is to try our hardest to lead these people to safety. We may lose some of them along the way, but the important thing is that we tried. The important thing is that _you_ tried. That means everything, baby."

Faith smiled. "We're going to try to find some vans tomorrow morning to get us out of here," she stated.

"So who constitutes we?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows inquisitively.

"You, me, and Jay," Faith replied. "We'll leave early in the morning. Hopefully we'll find something. We'll bring whatever we find back here, load the vehicles up with supplies, and leave the next morning."

"That's a good plan, Faith," Buffy said encouragingly.

"Thanks, B," Faith smiled gratefully.

"I thought that you didn't trust the soldiers though?" Buffy asked confusedly.

"I don't," Faith replied quickly. "But I trust Jay. He's not like the other two."

Buffy nodded, allowing her eyes to survey the Bronze. People were huddled on the second floor, hoping to survive the night without another attack. Buffy wondered how much more they could withstand before they crumpled. Courage only carried people so far before it failed. "You want to get some sleep?" She asked, looking over at the dark haired Slayer, but Faith smiled and shook her head.

"I think I'm going to stay up for a little while longer," she said quietly. "I need to think."

"Okay," Buffy said disappointedly, but she smiled anyway. "You know where to find me when you're ready."

Faith nodded and watched Buffy walk over to their sleeping bags. "Hey, Buffy?" She called after her.

"Yeah?" Buffy asked, turning back to the younger girl, who had a serious look on her face.

"I love you," Faith said softly, but earnestly.

Buffy smiled back at her. "I love you too," she replied and continued on her way.

Faith watched her from afar as she prepared to go to sleep. The weight of the world seemed to be crashing down on her shoulders. Images and memories flitted through her mind. She remembered dreaming of Buffy and fire and a chain link fence that separated her from her love. She remembered a gunshot and a feeling of absolute despair. For some reason, every time she spoke to Buffy, she felt as though she was sharing with her the last words that they would ever speak together. She did not know what her dreams of late had meant, but she was certain that they predicted doom. Yet, she knew that she could not give in to the temptation to chose the easy path and admit defeat. Despite whatever may happen once they left the Bronze, she knew that she had to lead them, even if what they found in the world outside spoke of nothing but death.

…………………………………

The next morning dawned bright and bloody red in Faith's eyes as she stood by the windows on the second floor of the Bronze gazing out at the empty streets of Sunnydale. She had stood sentinel over the group during the night, refusing to give in to the temptation to sleep. Closing her eyes and sighing, she rested her cheek on the cool glass of the window. Choking her constantly was a lingering fear that crept up in her throat, threatening to claw its way out of her body. Though she swallowed it down, it continued to rise, until fear was all that she could see and all that she knew. A gentle humming arose in the back of her mind, dispelling the paralysis that seemed to grip her limbs. Faith smiled slightly, knowing that Buffy had awoken and was slowly walking over to her.

"Hey," Buffy said, stopping just behind Faith and leaning her body against the dark haired Slayer's. Faith could feel her breath tickling the back of her neck. Opening her eyes, she looked back at her girlfriend.

"Hey," she replied, her voice scratchy and low from lack of sleep.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" She asked concernedly.

Faith shook her head. "No," she replied. "I couldn't sleep."

"When are we leaving?" Buffy asked, tracing soothing circles on Faith's back.

"As soon as you and Jay are ready," she stated.

Buffy nodded. "Let me just go wash up," she replied and cupped Faith's cheek, pulling the dark haired Slayer's lips down to her own. Faith melted into the kiss, all of her fears and doubts fading into the back of her mind until she no longer knew that they existed. She felt Buffy's tongue pressing against her lips, begging for entrance. Opening her mouth, she moaned as the blonde Slayer's tongue sensuously massaged her own. Just as she felt as though she was losing herself, Buffy pulled away, her eyes dark with desire. "I was supposed to be going somewhere, wasn't I?" Buffy joked.

"I don't mind if you stick around a little longer," Faith breathed.

"We should get going though," Buffy replied, reluctantly moving away from Faith. "I'll meet you guys downstairs."

Faith nodded and watched Buffy walk away. Her heart was beating heavily and her face was flushed with desire. She wanted nothing more than to ravage Buffy at that moment, but she knew that she could not linger in the Bronze while the sun filled the sky. They had to find vehicles to transport them out of Sunnydale and, hopefully, to a better life. Moving away from the window, Faith noticed that the rest of the survivors were starting to stir and wake. "Hey," Jay said, greeting her as she walked down the stairs. "What's up?"

"Where are the rest of the guns?" Faith asked, distinctly feeling the gun tucked in the back waistband of her jeans pressing snugly against her skin.

"We stored them under the stage," Jay said, "when Riley told us to hide them. Why?"

"I want to redistribute them," Faith stated. "That attack last night could have gone much worse. We were lucky, but if we're going to have to stay here one more night, I think everybody would be a little more comfortable with some fire power in their hands."

"Okay," Jay nodded. "I'll hand them out right now." Faith nodded as Jay moved away and grabbed the bag of guns from behind a movable panel in front of the stage. The soldier busied himself distributing guns and ammunition to the rest of the people. Once he had finished, he rejoined Faith by the stage, Buffy following after quickly.

"We'll go through the loading dock," Faith explained. "I want to leave the front doors barricaded."

"We'll be looking for you," Giles said, joining the group. "Come back safely."

"We will," Buffy promised, hugging her Watcher tightly. The trio disappeared behind the stage, exiting the Bronze through the loading docks doors. The sun hit Faith's face and she smiled.

"So what are we looking for?" Buffy asked, slipping the gun out of the waistband of her jeans as Faith did the same.

"Anything large enough to hold fifteen people. Unfortunately," Faith said, "I think we're going to have to split up between two vehicles."

Buffy nodded. "I think you're right."

"Where are we going to go?" Jay asked suddenly.

"To find the vehicles?" Faith asked confusedly.

"No," Jay shook his head, smiling, "after we find them and hit the road."

Faith sighed. "I don't know," she replied slowly. "I guess that all depends on whether the rest of the world as we know it has been overrun as well."

"I don't see how it could be," Buffy interjected. "I've been thinking about this a lot."

"And you didn't hurt yourself? Amazing," Faith joked.

Buffy rolled her eyes and continued, "How could the zombies have crossed the oceans? They never would have made it on an airplane."

"It could be that just this country was affected," Jay surmised.

"Or that only Sunnydale was," Faith added. "The army may have been able to stop it from spreading."

"In which case, as long as we can get out of town, we'll be alright," Buffy said hopefully.

"I don't think that it's going to be that easy," Faith said softly.

"We can always hope," Buffy replied, smiling over at her.

Despite her concerns, Faith found herself smiling back. "I just don't understand why we haven't heard anything from anyone."

"Maybe no one knows that we're alive," Jay guessed. "If the army did stop the zombies from spreading and contained them in Sunnydale, maybe they just assumed that there was no one left alive."

"Wouldn't they have tried to communicate with us somehow?" Faith asked.

"I don't know," Jay said. "The town has no power and all of the phone lines are dead. How could they?"

"If we were under total quarantine, maybe they wouldn't even bother trying to contact anyone on the inside," Buffy shrugged.

The trio searched the streets of Sunnydale for the better part of the morning, talking idly amongst themselves. Cars had been abandoned everywhere, but they found nothing that would suit their purpose. Finally, they reached Main Street after completing a search of the neighborhoods. "What about those?" Jay asked suddenly, pointing to two _Brinks_ armored vans that were sitting in front of a bank.

Faith smiled widely, hope filling her heart after it had fled from her during their earlier, fruitless search. "Hope we can find the keys," she muttered as they ran towards the vans. Upon reaching them, they performed a thorough search of the back and seats to ensure that they were free of any zombie inhabitants.

Jay slid into the driver's seat of one of the vans and glanced around, checking all of the usual places for a set of keys. Finally, he spotted them poking out from underneath the carpeting on the passenger's side. Grabbing them, he shoved one of the keys into the ignition and grinned when the engine roared to life. "Got one," he shouted happily.

"I can't find the keys for this one," Buffy announced after she had searched the second van.

Faith sighed and glanced around. The drivers of the vans were missing, presumably having been turned into the walking dead. Just as she was about to give up, she noticed something flashing at her in the sunlight. Walking over to the gutter, she leaned down, and picked up a pair of keys. "I think someone likes me today," she muttered, glancing up into the sky gratefully. "Try these!" She instructed, throwing the keys to Buffy, who caught them easily.

When the second van's engine roared to life, Faith breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "How much gas is left?" She asked, moving over to the driver's side door of the armored van in which Buffy was sitting.

"Half of a tank," she stated.

"You?" Faith asked, looking over at Jay.

"Little less than a quarter," he replied.

"Alright, looks like we need to find a gas station," Faith announced, moving around the van, and climbing into the passenger's seat beside Buffy.

The two vans slowly ambled down the road in search of a gas station. Faith watched dismayed as Buffy, driving one van, and Jay, driving the other, attempted to pick their way through the jumbled mess of abandoned cars littering the road. "This is going to take forever," she muttered.

"It's not going to be easy to try to leave town," Buffy agreed.

Faith sighed, rolled down her window, and smiled slightly as a gentle breeze blew through her hair. "I never thought that it would be."


	24. The Gas Station

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! Just to warn you now, I have no idea how gas stations work, so if I'm totally off on this, just bear with me in my ignorance.

Previously:

The two vans slowly ambled down the road in search of a gas station. Faith watched dismayed as Buffy, driving one van, and Jay, driving the other, attempted to pick their way through the jumbled mess of abandoned cars littering the road. "This is going to take forever," she muttered.

"It's not going to be easy to try to leave town," Buffy agreed.

Faith sighed, rolled down her window, and smiled slightly as a gentle breeze blew through her hair. "I never thought that it would be."

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Gas Station:

_"You come up with a plan yet?" Faith asked as she slid into a chair in the library. Kate looked up from her stack of books and frowned, noticing the jacket that Faith was wearing._

_"Are you going somewhere?" She asked casually._

_"I thought I'd patrol," Faith shrugged._

_"I don't know if that's such a good idea," Kate replied cautiously. "Surely Kakistos knows that there's a Slayer in Boston. He may be looking for you."_

_Faith smiled, touched by her Watcher's concern, but determined to maintain a certain amount of freedom. "I won't go far," she promised. _

_Kate sighed and leaned back in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just be careful, yes?" She implored._

_"I always am," Faith replied, flashing her a confident grin. "But you never answered my question."_

_"What was your question?" Kate asked, furrowing her brow as she tried to remember._

_"I asked if you had a plan yet," Faith repeated._

_"Perhaps," Kate nodded thoughtfully. "We're attacking the warehouse during the day. The front of it is full of windows; though I can't be certain how many rooms the building contains which are not so well lit. However, we could break the windows and, thereby, gain the advantage of sunlight, to which we could always retreat if we encounter any difficulty with Kakistos."_

_"But," Faith began. _

_"But we'd lose any element of surprise. The vampires would know that someone was trying to attack them. They would retreat as far as possible from the light, thus drawing us into the shadows," Kate explained._

_"So what's plan B?" Faith inquired._

_"Plan B is kicking down the front door and taking out as many of them as we can," Kate sighed._

_"That sounds risky," Faith replied._

_"It is," Kate admitted. "But so is plan A."_

_Faith sighed and looked out of the window at the moon, which was rising steadily over the treetops. She could see starts twinkling in the sky. "I should get going," she stated absently. Rising to her feet, she smiled back at Kate. "I'm sure whatever you decide will be fine. We'll make it work."_

_"Thank you for your confidence," Kate replied dryly, but smiled. "I just want to read a little bit more about our adversary before I make any final decisions, otherwise I would go with you tonight."_

_"Always be prepared, right?" Faith joked._

_"Absolutely," Kate nodded, looking back down at her book. "Oh, Faith?" She asked, stopping the Slayer, who had started to leave the room._

_"Yeah?" Faith asked, looking back at her._

_"Remember…be careful," Kate instructed warmly._

_Faith pulled out a stake from the waistband of her jeans and twirled it in her fingers, grinning lopsidedly. "Maybe you should tell that to the vampires."_

…………………………………

"Gas station," Buffy stated as she pulled the armored van that she was driving off of the road and into a parking lot.

Faith, squinting from the brightness of the sun, shielded her eyes, and turned to look. Jay had pulled off of the road in front of them and had parked next to one of the pumps. "Do you think they still work?" Faith asked.

Buffy shrugged and parked the van. "I don't know," she replied honestly.

"It's nice," Faith commented, looking up into the blue sky.

"What?" Buffy asked amusedly, her heart flip flopping happily in her chest when she saw the tiny smile gracing Faith's features.

"Today," Faith replied, looking over at her girlfriend. "It's just nice."

"Hey," Jay said, walking up to their van. "Anyone up for stealing some gas?" He joked, though his eyes were twinkling with a repressed juvenility.

Faith laughed and nodded. Opening her door, she stepped down onto the asphalt of the parking lot. "So how do we do this?" She asked, looking at Jay expectantly.

"What makes you think I know?" He asked defensively, though he was smiling.

"Something tells me you haven't always been an order and discipline kinda guy," Faith grinned.

"Maybe not," Jay admitted. "Okay, let me see if I can find a generator or some backup power source that can get the pumps working."

"I'll come with you," Faith replied. "You okay out here by yourself?" She asked, throwing a look back at Buffy.

"Just be quick, okay?" Buffy said anxiously. Complete and utter silence blanketed Sunnydale. She could not hear any birds chirping. The usual sound of traffic on the highway had been replaced by an overwhelming emptiness. The sound of Jay's army boots striking the surface of the road seemed to echo indefinitely in her ears. Grabbing her gun, she squeezed it tightly in her hand. Faith and Jay disappeared inside of the gas station and she was alone.

Though the sun was shining in through the windows of the gas station's convenience store, deep shadows played along the walls and darkened the corners of the room. "I'll check the back," Jay offered, moving away from Faith before she could reply.

"Be careful," she called after him, fingering her gun restlessly. A pool of congealed blood lay behind the cash register. Faith wondered what had happened to the clerk, though she imagined that her first guess was correct. The shelves of the convenience store were still lined with junk food. The refrigerators had died and Faith shuddered when her eyes landed on the warm, spoiled milk sitting in rows behind the glass. The milk within the bottles looked almost green. "Not exactly a health food market," she commented idly, fingering a bag of potato chips.

"I think I found it," she heard Jay call from the back of the store.

"Power this sucker up then," Faith called back to him.

Jay flipped several switches on the panel, glancing up at the lights above his head, but nothing happened. "Anything?" He yelled to Faith. Vaguely, he heard her reply in the negative. "Damn," he muttered to himself. Moving his hand down to a red switch at the bottom corner of the panel, he flipped it. A gentle humming arose and the emergency lights above his head flickered. "I think we're in business," he said and turned, but instantly froze in his place.

Standing before him was the decomposing clerk that had been working at the convenience store on the morning of the attack. Jay grimaced, unable to tear his eyes away from the rotting teenager's blackened face. The boy's skin was stretched and cracked across his cheekbones and through his broken teeth hung his blistered tongue. He was staring at Jay with dead, cold, yellowed eyes that showed no spark of intelligence or anything other than a deep, insatiable hunger. The zombie rushed at him before Jay could raise his gun. The creature's hands slammed into his chest, pushing him backwards against the wall. His hand hit the power box and his gun flew out of his grasp.

"Shit," he exclaimed. "Faith!"

Faith dropped the bag of potato chips that she had been studying, pulled her gun from the waistband of her jeans, and rushed into the back room. The zombie had pinned Jay to the wall and was attempting to bite his face, though Jay was pushing him back with all of his strength. "Hold still," Faith commanded. Raising her gun, she aimed it at the zombie's head. Pulling the trigger, she held her breath as the bullet exploded from the barrel of the gun and rammed into the back of the zombie's skull. Jay ducked when the bullet struck, closing his eyes, and sliding down to the floor. Blood sprayed all over the wall against which he had just been standing and the body of the zombie dropped to the floor in a heap.

"Fuck me," Jay breathed.

Faith exhaled deeply and looked down at him. "Are you okay?" She asked. Jay nodded absently. "Did you get any blood in your eyes or mouth?" She asked firmly. Jay looked up at her and smiled. His face was clean.

"No," he replied, rising shakily to his feet. "I didn't." Moving away from the zombie, he grabbed his gun off of the floor.

"Good," Faith breathed a sigh of relief.

"The power's on," Jay said more confidently. "Let's get out of here."

As Faith and Jay moved back into the store, the little bell over the door sprung to life, and Buffy entered. "I heard a gunshot. Is everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Zombie," Faith stated. "I took care of it."

"And you're both fine?" She pressed.

"We're both fine," Jay smiled.

Buffy exhaled deeply and glanced around the store, noticing that food. "Hey, should we take some of this?" She asked.

"We are starting to run low," Jay noted.

"We'll grab as much as we can," Faith nodded. "But let's get the vans tanked up before we do anything else."

Fifteen minutes later, with full tanks of gas and piles of potato chips bags and candy bars littering the backs of the vans, they pulled out onto the road. "You know, Buffy commented as they swung the vans around to head back to the Bronze, "it's kinda nice being the one to drive."

"What're you talking about?" Faith asked, pulling her eyes away from the scenery that was crawling passed them to look at Buffy.

"No one ever lets me drive," she shrugged.

"Why not?" Faith asked.

"No reason," Buffy replied evasively.

"B," Faith said warningly.

"Fine, fine," Buffy caved. "I'm not so good at it."

"At what?" Faith asked.

"Driving," Buffy clarified.

"How can you not be good at driving?" Faith asked incredulously. "It's insanely simple. You just stay in the lines."

"That's the part that I'm not so good at," Buffy smiled over at her.

"And you didn't tell me this because?" Faith groaned.

"I knew that you'd make me stop," Buffy teased. "Besides, you don't have license do you?"

"No," Faith shook her head. "But that doesn't mean I've never driven a car."

"So I take it this means you're not going to let me drive the van on the way out of town, huh?" Buffy asked jokingly.

"Hell no," Faith replied, chuckling. "Giles and your mom are driving."

"Giles goes really slow," Buffy complained, scrunching up her face.

Faith silently laughed to herself, thinking that the blonde Slayer looked adorable. "It's not like we're trying to win a race here, B. I case you haven't noticed, we haven't gotten above twenty miles an hour this whole time."

"Looks like we're home," Buffy commented as they pulled up to the loading dock of the Bronze. Jay jumped out of his van and ran up to the garage door, banging on it a few times. After several long moments had past, Giles opened the door. Jay jumped back into the van and pulled it into the Bronze, Buffy following after him. Once both of the vans were inside, Giles closed the door again and locked it.

"This will do nicely," he commented as Buffy and Faith exited their vehicle.

"We got some more food too," Faith said. Giles looked at her hopefully, but she shook her head. "Just potato chips and stuff like that."

"Bloody hell," he muttered to himself. "If I don't die from a zombie bite, I'll die from malnutrition."

"Get over it Giles," Buffy said, good-naturedly slapping him on the back. As they walked out into the main room of the Bronze, Faith pulled the sheet of paper, on which Jay had written the names and former occupations of the survivors, out of her back pocket and studied it carefully. The band of survivors was waiting for them at the foot of the stage. Faith carefully folded the list again and looked up at them, shoving it into her pocket.

"Everybody, listen up," she instructed. "We've found two armored vans. For the rest of today, we're going to load up all of our gear. We'll be leaving the Bronze tomorrow morning." She heard a collective sigh of relief and continued. "Everyone should to bring all of the food and supplies to the back, except what we'll need during the night. Is there a James here?" She asked, surveying the crowd.

A man in his early forties with thinning hair and a pair of glasses stepped forward and raised his hand. "I'm James," he said.

"And you were an electrician?" Faith questioned.

"That's right," he replied.

"Good," Faith nodded. "I want you to determine whether you can mount some of these stage lights onto the tops of the vans, okay?"

The man nodded, glancing up at the lights hanging above the stage. "Shouldn't be a problem," he stated.

Faith looked over at Buffy, who was smiling both encouragingly and proudly at her, and said, "Let's get to work."


	25. Love and Darkness

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!

Previously:

"Everybody, listen up," Faith instructed. "We've found two armored vans. For the rest of today, we're going to load up all of our gear. We'll be leaving the Bronze tomorrow morning." She heard a collective sigh of relief and continued. "Everyone should to bring all of the food and supplies to the back, except what we'll need during the night."

Chapter Twenty-Four: Love and Darkness:

_Though Faith had not wandered far from her Watcher's house, as she had promised, she still had found a plethora of vampires stalking the streets of Boston. The restlessness that constantly plagued her, the drive of the Slayer to be moving always and fighting always, was finally satiated and her contented muscles rested underneath her skin. Dawn was only a few hours away and the sky was starting to change. The darkness gave way to a murky blue. The moon was starting to sink, tracing its lazy way down towards the horizon. Though she had spent the night hunting vampires, she would need only a couple of hours of sleep before she would be ready to fight Kakistos when the sun had ridden higher in the sky._

_The house that she shared with Kate loomed closer as she walked down the street. Though the light was shining outside of the front door to welcome her home, Faith slowed her pace until she had stopped and was standing in the middle of the road, gazing intently at the house. Something felt wrong. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. Cautiously pulling her stake out of the waistband of her jeans, she strode forward. The gates leading to the house were closed and locked, which momentarily caused Faith to believe that everything inside of the house was secure, but as she peered through the metal bars of the gates, she could see that the front door of the house was slightly ajar. _

_Shoving her key into the lock, she twisted it, and opened the gates. Running up the sidewalk leading to the front door, she paused when she reached the stoop. Closing her eyes briefly, she inhaled deeply, and slowly exhaled, allowing the fear to drain from her mind. Then she pushed open the door. The house was dark inside, but she could smell blood. Glancing down, she noticed a puddle of red liquid staining the carpet in front of the door. Stepping into the foyer, she closed the door behind her, and flipped on the lights. "Kate?" She called._

_An overwhelming silence greeted her as her words echoed through the house and died. "Kate, if you're in here, you gotta let me know," she tried again, panic gripping her heart. Swiftly moving through each room in the house, she eventually found herself standing in the foyer again, alone and terrified. Kneeling down, she lightly ran her fingers over the blood staining the carpet in front of the door. When she removed them, her fingertips were sticky and red. She knew that the blood was Kate's. Wiping her hand on her jeans, she stood with determination set on her face. She knew who had taken her Watcher. Kakistos had known that there was a Slayer in Boston. Faith was starting to realize that he knew much more than that. _

_As she stood, contemplating her next move, her fingers curled up until tight fists. Her knuckles whitened from the pressure of her fingers pressing down on her skin and, through the haze that had settled on her mind, she noticed that blood was seeping out of little cuts on her palms. When the sun rose, she would find Kakistos, and she would kill him. She wondered if Kate was still alive, but she imagined that the vampire would not allow the Watcher to be killed until Faith had arrived and had seen the damage that they had inflicted upon her. Moving over to the training room, she grabbed a duffel bag and began shoving weapons into it. Kate had not decided on a plan, but Faith had decided on hers. The sun was her greatest ally and she would use it to her advantage._

………………………………..

Faith stood alone by the two outfitted armored vans, inspecting the work that her small band of survivors had done during the day. James, the electrician, had mounted stage lights on the tops of the vans. Faith hoped that when they were forced to travel at night, the lights would prevent the zombies from coming too close to the vans. They had also cut two holes in the tops of the vehicles that were large enough for a person with a gun to fit through in case they needed to fight away the walking dead during their exodus from Sunnydale. Their food and supplies had been loaded into the backs of the vans. Everyone was ready to leave. The rest of the group was eating dinner on the second level of the Bronze, but Faith could feel nothing in the pit of her stomach but doubt and fear and she thought that her body would rebel against anything that she tried to put into it.

In moments like the one that she was experiencing, she desperately wished that her Watcher was still alive. Kate always had trusted in her and always had believed in her. Even though Faith had failed her in the end, she knew that Kate did not blame her. She had seen acceptance, love, and pride in her Watcher's eyes when Kakistos had killed her. That moment repeated itself on a perpetual loop through the dark haired Slayer's mind. Everything had fallen apart for her in a matter of seconds. The life that she had been building had been stripped away and replaced by cold nights on the road with a grumbling stomach and a dull ache in her heart that never vanished, even now. Though she had saved many people during her time as the Slayer, she only could remember the faces of the people whom she had failed – Christy, Kate, Anya, and Liz.

"You look deep in thought," Buffy stated, appearing through the doorway that led from the stage to the enclosed loading bay.

"Scary, huh?" Faith joked, smiling back at her girlfriend. But Buffy could see that her smile was tinged with sadness.

"You okay?" She asked concernedly, resting her hand reassuringly on Faith's shoulder.

"Five by five," Faith replied predictably.

"You ever gonna let me in?" Buffy asked. Where Faith had thought that her tone would be accusatory, it was only resigned.

Faith sighed and kicked at the ground, moving away from the blonde Slayer. "It's hard, you know?" She asked softly.

"I know," Buffy nodded. "But you don't have to hide from me."

"Do you really think that this is going to work?" Faith asked, looking over at her doubtfully.

"You don't think that it will?" Buffy returned.

"I don't know," Faith shrugged. "I've never been good at making plans."

"This is a good plan, Faith," Buffy replied confidently. "It's the same one I would have made."

"Why did they have to put me in charge, anyway?" Faith grumbled. "It should've been you."

"No," Buffy shook her head and closed the distance between them. "It's supposed to be you, Faith. This is your destiny. You have to accept it. The more you fight against it, the harder it will be."

"Sometimes I think that I'm still in the coma," Faith said, smiling slightly. "Like this is all some sick dream that my subconscious has created to let me off the hook for all of the horrible things that I've done. My own little redemption fantasy."

"I hate to break it to you," Buffy responded, "but this is all very real."

"I don't know," Faith argued lightly, "never in a million years did I think you would love me."

"Well, if your mind was going to create a nice, little fantasy world where we could be together, why did it have to include the zombies?" Buffy joked.

"That's a good point," Faith laughed. "You would think I would have left them out."

"I do love you, Faith," Buffy said seriously. "I think I always did, even if I didn't realize it."

Instead of replying, Faith pulled the blonde Slayer to her, letting her lips crash into the other girl's. They moaned in unison as their tongues met and dueled, fighting for dominance. Faith suddenly found herself moving backwards until her back met the wall. Before she knew what was happening, Buffy had lifted off her tank top, thrown it to the floor, and was trailing a path with her tongue up Faith's stomach and to her bra clad breasts. Faith closed her eyes, relishing the feel of Buffy's velvet tongue, and the sensations flowing through her body – the warmth spreading through her belly and down between her legs. Tangling her hand in Buffy's hair, she guided the blonde Slayer's lips back up to her own.

"You're still wearing way too many clothes," Buffy commented as she took Faith's lower lip with her teeth and gently sucked on it.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Faith asked as Buffy lowered her lips to the younger girl's neck and began nibbling at the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"You don't want to?" Buffy asked, arching an eyebrow as she pulled away to look at Faith, knowing full well that Faith wanted to ravage her with every particle of her being.

"I ain't saying that," Faith quickly recovered.

"Then what are you saying?" Buffy asked.

"I just want to make sure you know what you're doing," Faith replied weakly.

Buffy smiled devilishly and lowered her lips to Faith's neck again, sucking on her pulse point. Faith moaned, feeling her knees weaken amidst a flood of warmth. "I know _exactly_ what I'm doing," Buffy whispered into her ear. Nuzzling Faith's neck, she added, "I want to show you how much I love you."

For a moment, Faith thought that her heart actually had stopped beating in her chest as Buffy's words echoed in her ears. She had wanted the blonde Slayer from the first time that she had seen her. Something about Buffy had called to her, whispered to her in ways that she could not understand. Though her desire initially only had been sexual, the more time she had spent with the older girl, the more she had realized that her feelings had been growing much deeper. Even though she had betrayed Buffy, she had still loved her. When she had seen Buffy again for the first time after waking from her coma, all of those feelings had resurfaced, bubbling up inside of her like a volcano about to explode.

"Hey," Buffy said, her voice soft and concerned. "Are you okay?"

Faith shook her head slightly, willing herself to respond. Smiling down at the blonde Slayer, she nodded. "I love you, B," she whispered, the words easily falling from her lips. Buffy smiled, pressing her lips against Faith's as she allowed her hands to roam over the younger girl's warm, toned body, building anticipation inside of the former rogue Slayer as she lowered her hands to undo the zipper of her jeans. "More than you'll ever know."

………………………………

When Faith fell asleep that night, her unconscious mind was plagued by an utter darkness broken only by nightmares that weaved horrible images through her sleeping eyes. Again, she found herself lying on a road, looking up at the sky. Smoke billowed from places that she could not see and when she stood, she was staring at a chain link fence that seemed to stretch for miles in either direction. She felt more tired than she had ever felt, as if exhaustion had taken form and shape inside of her. Her limbs ached from fatigue, perhaps from running, for she could still feel little electric shocks running up and down her legs from the pounding of her feet against the concrete of the road. The smoke drifted into her eyes, stinging them, until she felt tears threatening to tumble down her cheeks.

She looked directly in front of her and saw Buffy standing on the other side of the fence. Her hands were clenching the metal. Her heart dropped when she saw blood streaming in rivers down from her fingertips to the road. A glistening, ghastly wound stretched across the older girl's arm. "You're hurt," Faith heard herself say, though the words seemed far away. A chaos of noise seemed to surround them. Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but Faith could not hear the words. A single tear traced its way down the blonde Slayer's cheek. She reached out for Faith. When Faith moved to take her hand, someone pulled her backwards.

"No," she heard firmly in her ear. "You can't." Then she was running. Her feet were pounding into the ground once more. They had escaped, but to what? Smoke surrounded her and her ears echoed from an explosion. But her memory was muddled and she did not know what had exploded, or what was happening around her. The road stretched out in front of her for miles, empty and desolate. She had entered a new world and had left everything that she had ever loved behind.

The images faded and darkness fell again in her mind. The darkness remained until an hour before dawn when a new image took shape. It built slowly before her eyes, a murky darkness that resembled the stillness of her mind, but the darkness was different. It was living and breathing. Another sense of fatigue clung to her muscles, not a physical exhaustion, but an emotional emptiness. Suddenly she was aware that she was falling. However, she was not falling rapidly; instead, she was falling a very controlled fall. She could feel something slipping through her fingertips, something rough that seemed to burn her skin. The darkness gave way to a dim light and she realized that she was surrounded by metal walls.

She wanted to cry out and call for help, but when she opened her mouth to speak, no words emerged. An oppressive heat clung to her skin, covering her with a layer of sweat. But she found that she did not care about the physical discomfort. Nothing seemed to penetrate her. She was lost and alone. She was aware that there were other people below her, falling at the same measured rate, but their presence brought her no relief. She was completely numb, except for a small spark that lingered in her heart, calling her to violence. Red passed before her eyes, the red of blood and anger, and she felt the inexorable urge to seek vengeance for a crime against her that she could not name or remember, if that crime had occurred at all. She wanted to rage. She wanted to rage against the Powers that Be, God, fate, or whatever controlled the universe and she realized that she was descending into hell to do it.

As the sun rose over the horizon, bringing forth a new day, Faith's eyes slowly opened to the world. She was staring up at the ceiling of the Bronze. Buffy was curled up next to her, her arm lying across her stomach, and her fingers grazing the scar that reminded them both of their anger. The sunlight was streaming in through the windows, a soft, golden glow that afforded Faith no warmth. She wanted to stretch, but she did not want to disturb the Slayer sleeping next to her. Smiling a little, she rested her chin on the top of Buffy's head. Her heart welled up with a love that she had not felt in years and she knew that she was exactly where she belonged – at Buffy's side. But the reality of their situation soon crashed into her, breaking the hold that happiness had claimed on her heart. Faith sighed, realizing that today they would leave Sunnydale and never return.


	26. Exodus

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!

Previously:

As the sun rose over the horizon, bringing forth a new day, Faith's eyes slowly opened to the world. She was staring up at the ceiling of the Bronze. Buffy was curled up next to her, her arm lying across her stomach, and her fingers grazing the scar that reminded them both of their anger. The sunlight was streaming in through the windows, a soft, golden glow that afforded Faith no warmth. She wanted to stretch, but she did not want to disturb the Slayer sleeping next to her. Smiling a little, she rested her chin on the top of Buffy's head. Her heart welled up with a love that she had not felt in years and she knew that she was exactly where she belonged – at Buffy's side. But the reality of their situation soon crashed into her, breaking the hold that happiness had claimed on her heart. Faith sighed, realizing that today they would leave Sunnydale and never return.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Exodus:

_Faith was to become one of the most feared vampire Slayers in the history of the line of Slayers, both for her dedication to her calling and for the chaotic passion with which she fought. She would become so powerful that some believed that she would never fall, though every hero is doomed to die and every road is doomed to end. However, before she would become, she had to endure many trials. The young Slayer that purposefully strode down the streets of Boston as the sun crept over the horizon in a mingling of orange and red knew not what her future entailed, or how many torments she would have to suffer, she only knew that her Watcher had been taken by Kakistos, an old and powerful vampire, and that it was her duty to rescue her – alone. _

_She realized as she walked that the Slayer was doomed to be alone. For centuries, only one Slayer had existed at a time – one girl in all of the world chosen to fight the forces of darkness. The only reason that two existed now was because of a colossal error on the part of fate. Though, somewhere across the country, another Slayer lived who knew what terrors and struggles Faith met with daily, the younger girl never had met her and never believed that she would. She had no friends and no family. The only person in her life who knew who she was had been kidnapped and that only person was the same only person who could help her. She was terrified for Kate, knowing that the woman was alone, surrounded by ruthless demons bereft of any sense of guilt and driven by a lust for blood that never could be quenched. But she knew that Kate would be strong. Her Watcher faced fear with a certain dignity that Faith only hoped that she would grow to possess._

_Yet, Kate was not the only one who was alone at that moment. The streets around Faith were empty as she walked, but even if they were full of bustling people, she would walk alone. A Slayer moved in a different world than normal people. She realized that now. Two parallels worlds ran on top of each other. In one, people lived normal lives; ignorant of the fact that another, dangerous world existed just around the corner. In that world, demons stalked the night, preying on helpless humans who would have been doomed had the Powers that Be not decided to send them a savior – a girl. Like walking through a door, people moved between worlds hardly realizing that they were, but once their eyes were opened to the truth, they could never enter their normal world again._

_Faith had stepped through the door, her eyes had been opened, and she had been stranded. The sun rose higher in the sky and Faith could feel its warmth on her skin. She moved in the dark, just like the demons, but she thrived in the light. The knife that her Watcher had given her rested in a holster attached to her ankle. Stakes were holstered up her sleeves and she carried two more in the waistband of her jeans. A lighter rested in her pocket and she carried a can of gasoline in her hand. She did not know whether she and Kate would survive the day, but she knew that before she drew her last, ragged breath, she would watch as many vampires die as possible. Sunlight was her greatest ally, but fire was just as deadly to vampires, though to humans as well. _

_Her boots clicked on the sidewalk with determination and purpose. Her eyes were masked by a steely reserve that she hardly ever wore, but that crept into her face when the most troubling of times came upon her. Her jaw was set and her fists were clenched. She had started walking as the sun had peeked its round face over the line of trees outside of the windows of the library at the house she shared with her Watcher. The harbor was on the opposite end of the city, but the walk did not bother her. It provided her with an opportunity to think and strategize, though it also provided her with enough time for seeds of fear and doubt to grow in her heart. The closer she came to the warehouse, where Kakistos resided, the more anxious she became. Her stomach fluttered nervously, flopping about in her body like a dying fish. Her palms were sweaty and her skin was clammy and cold. Several times, she thought of turning back. But she walked onwards, ignoring the terror mounting within her._

_Finally, she reached the beginning of the warehouse district, where she and Kate had begun their search for Kakistos the previous day. The buildings looked decrepit and filthy, but Faith felt more at home standing amongst them than standing amongst the mansions that lined the road on which she lived. Inhaling deeply, she focused all of her energies on the task that she was about to begin. She could see the warehouse to which she was headed at the end of the row. As she moved forward, her eyes never left the edifice. Her Slayer senses rang alarm bells in her mind. She was terribly outnumbered and she knew it. Kakistos was waiting for her. She could feel his anticipation. He wanted to kill another Slayer. _

_She finally reached the front of the warehouse. The window into which she had peered the day before loomed ominous before her. She wondered if she had been seen and the sudden thought that Kate's kidnapping entirely was her fault crept into her mind, but she pushed aside the gut wrenching guilt. The front doors were large enough for a truck to fit through and, she imagined, were locked from the inside of the building. Unscrewing the cap from the can of gasoline that she held, she lifted it, and threw it through the window. The glass shattered, falling down in a cascade of glinting rain. Sunlight poured into the warehouse and Faith heard screaming as some of the vampires too slow to react combusted. Drawing the lighter from her pocket, she flicked it open, watching the flame dance for a moment, before throwing it through the broken window. She heard the crackle of the fire before she could see the red glow. _

_Moving to the front doors, she drew the stakes from the waistband of her jeans, and held them tightly. She lifted her foot and propelled it forward with all of her strength. Her boot collided with the door and it splintered open, flying off of its hinges into the darkness. The fear vanished from her heart as she moved forward, her feet striking the floor of the warehouse soundly. The first two vampires to charge at her she dispatched with ease. Piles of dust littered the floor where the sunlight and fire had killed many of her foes. But she could still see a dozen vampires lingering in the shadows. Smoke filled the warehouse as the fire began to spread. Some of the vampires fled. Faith imagined that many underground tunnels existed through which the vampires often traveled during the day. _

_Those vampires she cared little about, however. After a thorough scan of the warehouse, her eyes finally rested on Kakistos. He stood in the shadows, regarding her intently. Tied to a chair next him sat Kate. Faith's face paled as she studied her Watcher. She knew without having to check her injuries that Kate was dying. The pallor of her skin more closely resembled a corpse than a living being. Blood coated her torn clothing and Faith could see lacerations covering her half naked body. Her left eye had been slashed and a mangled, hollow pit marred her face. Faith found that she barely could breathe, not from the smoke choking the warehouse, but from the rage that was boiling up inside of her. _

_"Leave," Kakistos commanded to the vampires around him. His voice was so deep that it almost hurt her ears. The vampires looked back and forth at each other for several seconds before shrugging and vanishing through the doorway through which some of their comrades already had disappeared. "Slayer," Kakistos regarded her._

_Faith's eyes never strayed from Kate's remaining eye, which shimmered with something resembling pride as she gazed at her Slayer. However, her eye dimmed and Faith saw that the ragged rise and fall of her chest had ceased. "You must be Kakistos," she growled._

_"Yes," the vampire smiled, his teeth flashing in the light. "I am. Your Watcher is dead, Slayer. How does that make you feel?" He asked mockingly._

_"I'm gonna kill you," Faith ground out between her clenched teeth._

_"I doubt that," Kakistos laughed. "But if it's your will, you may try your best." He strode forward, avoiding the sunlight and fire, but not consciously, so that it appeared to Faith as if they bothered him not. Tucking the stakes back in the waistband of her jeans, she pulled out the knife that Kate had given her. Moving forward to meet him, she blocked the punch that he threw at her, slamming her fist into his face. The impact split her knuckles and she moved back. "I'm not like the other vampires that you've faced, girl," he warned, grinning._

_"I can see that," Faith muttered. He charged at her again, his fist striking her in the face. A flood of blood rushed out of her nose. Sweeping her foot out, she kicked his legs out from underneath of him. He toppled to the ground, but grabbed her, turning her, and squeezing her tightly within his embrace until she felt her ribs starting to crack. Despite the pain, she held onto her knife. _

_"I want to taste you," Kakistos murmured, opening his mouth, and lowering his fangs to her neck. Before they could penetrate her skin, however, Faith slammed her head back into his face. Releasing her from his grip, he groaned. Faith fell to the floor, her lungs straining for air, but she ignored the burning in her chest. Turning, she lifted the knife, and plunged it deep into the vampire's left eye. He screamed in pain, falling backwards, and scrambling away from her. She lost her grip on the knife, however, and it remained sticking out of his face at an awkward angle._

_"Eternity with no depth perception has gotta suck," Faith quipped, wincing visibly as she tried to breathe. The fire was starting to rage out of control in the warehouse. Coughing, she covered her mouth and nose. Kakistos stood and the two enemies regarded each other for several, long moments. _

_"When I find you again, Slayer, I'm going to hurt you more than you can possibly comprehend," Kakistos growled threateningly. _

_His words chilled her to the bone. Instead of replying, she turned, and fled from the warehouse. The clean air outside filled her deprived lungs. Though she wanted to gulp down the air, every time she breathed, pain flooded her chest. Crossing her arms over her ribs protectively, she dashed down the street. She could hear a siren wailing in the distance and she did not want to be around the warehouse when the fire department arrived. She ran until her legs could no longer carry her and then she collapsed in an alley several blocks from the warehouse. The blood flowing from her nose had dwindled to a trickle. It was starting to dry on her face and, when she tried to wipe it away, it flaked and stuck to her skin. Her Watcher was dead, her plan had failed, Kakistos still lived, and she had fled. She wondered what Kate would have thought of her now. Kakistos' words rang in her ears again as she sat underneath the warm rays of the sun and she muttered grimly, "That's if you ever find me."_

……………………………..

Faith surveyed the group of people standing before her. Most of them never had seen a vampire or demon in their lives before the zombie attack, but they had been thrown into a new and terrible world and they had remained standing. The two armored vans were idling behind her. Joyce was sitting in the driver's seat of one and Giles was sitting in the driver's seat of the other. Their supplies were packed and everyone was ready to leave. Faith wondered if they realized the significance of what they were about to do. They were not just leaving the Bronze. They were leaving Sunnydale and chances were great that they would never return to the town in which they had once lived. Faith did not know what awaited them beyond the town borders, but she feared that they would not find a better world in which to rest their tired bones, only more chaos, death, and despair.

"Faith?" Buffy prompted. "You were going to assign people seats in the vans."

"What?" Faith asked, momentarily confused as the blonde Slayer's voice ripped her from her thoughts. "Oh, right," she added, remembering why she had called everyone together. "As you can see," she began, addressing the group, "we managed to find two vehicles. That means that we're going to have to split up."

"Is that a good idea?" One of the people asked uneasily.

Faith smiled reassuringly, though the action felt false to her. "Everything will be fine," she replied confidently. "The following people will be in the van with Giles. When I call your name, go ahead and board, okay?" She said, looked up, saw the group collectively nodded, and continued. "I'll be in that van along with Willow, Tara, Mike, James, and Maya." Those who heard their names moved away from the rest of the group, saying their temporary goodbyes as they boarded the vans. Willow and Tara moved over to Buffy, each giving her a quick smile and hug before doing the same. "The rest of you: Jay, Thomas, Aidan, Sara, Jill, Stephen, and Buffy are in the van with Joyce." As the rest of the people dispersed, Buffy turned to Faith and smiled.

"I guess this is it, huh?" She asked sadly.

"For now," Faith nodded. "But we'll be right behind you. I've got your back."

"I love you, Faith," Buffy said, reaching up on her tiptoes to plant a passionate kiss on Faith's lips. Faith melted into the kiss, almost losing her resolve to part with the blonde Slayer. But then the older girl's lips were gone and she opened her eyes.

"I love you too, B," she replied seriously. "I'm going to see you soon. I promise."

With another quick kiss, the Slayers parted, each moving to their respective vans. Faith boarded, watching as Buffy disappeared into her van. The engines roared as Jay opened the loading bay doors, flashed Faith a wave, and jumped into the van behind Buffy. She smiled, knowing that the soldier would take care of her girl when she could not. Two of the soldiers were on Buffy's van, Jay and Thomas, with only one on the van with Faith, a man named Mike. The first van rambled out of the Bronze, followed by the second. Faith took her seat next to Giles, smiling as the sun struck her face when the van crept out of the club. The road ahead was lined with abandoned cars. "The highway is seven miles away," Giles stated. "This may be the longest seven miles of our lives."

Faith smiled grimly, "I think you're right."


	27. Seven Mile Run

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry these updates are taking longer than usual to get out, but I've been incredibly busy. Keep the reviews coming!

Previously:

With another quick kiss, the Slayers parted, each moving to their respective vans. Faith boarded, watching as Buffy disappeared into her van. The engines roared as Jay opened the loading bay doors, flashed Faith a wave, and jumped into the van behind Buffy. She smiled, knowing that the soldier would take care of her girl when she could not. The first van rambled out of the Bronze, followed by the second. Faith took her seat next to Giles, smiling as the sun struck her face when the van crept out of the club. The road ahead was lined with abandoned cars. "The highway is seven miles away," Giles stated. "This may be the longest seven miles of our lives."

Faith smiled grimly, "I think you're right."

Chapter Twenty-Six: Seven Mile Run:

_Faith limped up to the gates which guarded her house and quickly opened them before any of the neighbors could catch a glimpse of her. Her Watcher was dead. Kakistos had killed the older woman and, if his threats were any indication, he clearly intended to kill her when the sun failed. The dark haired Slayer was exhausted, mentally and physically, and the image of Kate's dying face flashed through her mind on a perpetual loop. Part of her realized that she could not have stopped Kakistos from capturing and killing her Watcher, even if she had been home at the time of his attack. She would have been taken by the ancient vampire and his minions and killed in a similar fashion. However, another part of her insisted that her Watcher's death lay solely upon her shoulders. If she had been a better Slayer – the Slayer that Kate had hoped that she would become – she would have been able to save her Watcher from such a grisly fate. But Faith had failed._

_She wondered if she was deserving of the title Slayer anymore, or if her failure had negated any special place that she had claimed in the world. Shuffling up the sidewalk, she opened the front door. She glanced down at the blood staining the carpet in front of the door. Its rotten, coppery smell invaded her nostrils and she resisted the urge to vomit. All that remained of her mentor was a little puddle on the ground. Stepping over it, Faith closed the door behind her. The house seemed large and empty now that she was alone. The wooden floors were cold and the sunlight streaming in through the windows did little to warm her bones. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, mindful of her broken ribs, and stood in the empty foyer listening to the silence. Tears began to course down her face. At first, she did not notice them. Not until they ran off of her cheeks and splashed down onto her arms did she realize that she was crying._

_When she did, the sobs tore out of her body almost painfully. Falling to her knees, she covered her face with her hands and cried. She had not cried as hard, or as intensely, since the day that her girlfriend had been shot and killed by a robber on the street. The tears ceased to flow, but the pain did not diminish from her heart. She knew, in that moment, that she could not stay in the house that she had shared with Kate. Every book in the library would remind her of the older woman. All of the mugs in the cupboard in the kitchen would remind her of Kate's ritual morning tea. She had to leave the house as quickly as possible. But she did not know where to go. The thought occurred to her that she was no longer safe in Boston._

_Kakistos certainly would come to the mansion that night to try to find her. Even if she had left by then, he would continue his search of the city until he found her. Faith knew that she could not hide from him, no matter how hard she tried. But if she could not hide, perhaps she could run. Rising shakily to her feet, she quickly ascended the stairs and entered her bedroom. She had to leave the city. Grabbing a duffel bag from the top of her closet – the same bag in which she had carried all of her worldly possessions when she had left her mother's apartment – she placed it on her bed. She shoved as many clothes into it as she could and zipped it closed. Slinging it over her shoulder, she looked around room one last time and exited, closing the door behind her. _

_Next, she moved to another closed door on the hallway – the room in which her Watcher had slept. Carefully opening the door, she peered inside. The sunlight bathed the room in a golden glow that would have warmed Faith's heart on any other day, but on that day, it simply reminded her of the woman that she would never see again. Moving into the room, she pulled out one of the drawers in the bureau and grabbed an envelope of money that Kate insisted on keeping around the house. Faith was grateful that she did. The easiest and quickest way for Faith to leave Boston was by bus and, counting the money inside of the envelope, she knew that she would have enough for her fare. However, she had yet to pick a destination._

_She thought for a moment before she realized where she would go_. _Kate had told her about the other Slayer, a girl named Buffy who lived in Sunnydale, California. Though Faith had never met the other girl, she somehow knew that she and Buffy were connected. Shoving the money into her pocket, she exited the room, and gently closed the door behind her. Then she descended the stairs. Moving into training room, she stuffed as many stakes as she could into the side compartments of her bag. When she had finished packing, she moved over to the front door. Setting her keys down on the table, as she would no longer need them, she opened the door and stepped outside. Turning, she looked into the house, whispered her silent goodbyes in her mind, and closed the door._

……………………………..

"This is ridiculous," Giles muttered. Faith sat beside him, glancing worriedly out of the window. The sun was advancing too quickly through the sky for her tastes. They had found it quite difficult to maneuver through the maze of cars littering the streets of Sunnydale. The van in which Faith rode was behind the first van. Faith felt sorry for Joyce, who was having the most difficult time in picking a path for them. Giles simply followed where she went, but often their path was interrupted by a vehicle which they could not circumvent. Many times, she resorted to driving in the grassy medians, though many of the cars had pulled off of the main road and were blocking that path. The vans bounced and lurched their way through Sunnydale.

After a painfully long drive, they finally escaped the commercial district and entered the residential zones. These also were densely packed, but the trees lining the roads prevented them from avoiding the cars by driving on the sidewalks. "I've been told that patience in a virtue," Faith said calmly, though Giles knew that she was panicking. Faith had the essential quality of most leaders of knowing when to remain calm in the presence of others. The band of survivors riding in their van littered the back and were all staring nervously through the front window, depending on Faith to remain strong for them.

"Whoever said that was a bloody moron," Giles retorted, snorting slightly, and pushing his glasses into place.

"Buffy said you drove slowly," Faith joked. "I just didn't know how slowly."

"Believe me, if there was ever a time when I would chose to ridiculously speed, this would be it," Giles replied.

"I c-can't see you speeding, Giles," Tara said, joining the conversation.

"It goes against the whole image that we have of you," Willow seconded.

Faith smiled, happy to see that in the face of complete hopelessness, people were still able to find something about which to laugh. "Apparently, you have a reputation," she said, looking over at the Watcher, who was also smiling.

"Apparently," he agreed. "You're worried about her, aren't you?" He asked lowly so that only Faith could hear.

"Buffy?" The dark haired Slayer asked. Giles simply nodded. "Of course I am."

"She'll be alright," Giles insisted.

"I'm not good at this," Faith grumbled.

"At what?" Giles asked amusedly. Faith had never been open about her emotions with him or any of the others, when they had been on speaking terms. However, since her awakening, Faith had seemed to discover herself amid all of the chaos and she no longer seemed concerned about what others thought of her.

"Loving someone," Faith replied softly. "I never have been."

Giles glanced over at her with an arched eyebrow, but looked away before she noticed. "Loving someone isn't easy," he said gently. "It's always a struggle. Of course, it doesn't help when circumstances around you are so skewed."

"Something tells me that even without zombies, Buffy and I would never have it easy," Faith smiled crookedly. "We were born to struggle."

"Because you're vampire Slayers," Giles nodded.

"Because we live in a different world than everyone else," Faith whispered. "I'm not the easiest person to love, either," she added in a louder voice.

"Buffy isn't one to back away from a challenge," Giles smiled.

Faith nodded, but did not reply. Casting her gaze out of the window, she watched the world crawl by. "There's gotta be a better way," she murmured.

"There is," Giles said, hearing her words.

"What's that?" She asked.

"We're in armored vans. Theoretically, we could just push our way through the cars," he suggested. "But, that's not to say that our vehicles would not sustain any damage."

"But," Faith prodded.

"But if we continue at the rate we're going, we're not going to reach the highway by nightfall."

"Stop the van," Faith commanded. Giles acquiesced and the van slowed to a halt. The van in front of them stopped as well and Faith hopped out of the vehicle. Approaching the other van, she nodded at Joyce when the older woman rolled down the window.

"What's up?" Joyce asked.

"This is taking too long," Faith stated. "It's not your fault," she quickly added, "it would take too long regardless of who was driving. There are too many cars in the road."

"What do you want to do?" Buffy asked, leaning across her mother to see Faith.

"Start ramming them out of the way," Faith said. "Giles thought that was the best idea."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Buffy asked, frowning.

Faith nodded. "It is," she affirmed. "So be careful," she said, turning to Joyce.

"Always am," Joyce smiled. Faith nodded and walked away as Joyce rolled up the window again and proceeded.

Hopping into her seat next to Giles, Faith closed the passenger side door. The van lurched to life and rolled forward. They watched as Joyce pressed down the accelerator and began ramming the cars out of their way. The sound of screeching metal filled Faith's ears and she grimaced. However, they were able to gain more speed and the road began to roll past them at a decent rate. The leading van, however, was covered in a shower of sparks. The front end crumpled beneath the pressure of hitting into car after car. Faith watched anxiously. Their van was able to slip through the path the first van made without impacting any other vehicle.

"We don't have too much farther," Giles said suddenly. "I can see the sign for the highway just ahead. The cars seem to taper off."

"We're almost there," Faith said, turning in her seat to look back at the people behind her. As she did, she heard a wailing noise from in front of them and a crash. Giles cursed under his breath and quickly slammed on the brakes. The van screeched to a halt. Faith turned back around in time to see the van in front of them skid out of control and topple onto its side. "Shit," she exclaimed. "What happened?"

"It got stuck on one of the cars," Giles said. "I think."

"You think?" Faith asked.

"It happened quite quickly," Giles said defensively.

"Guys?" Willow asked anxiously.

"What?" Faith asked, looking back at her as she opened her door.

"It's on fire," Willow pointed.

Faith followed her fingers, a sense of dread filling her limbs, and saw the red glow of flames licking the front of the van. "Stay here," she instructed, scrambling out of the vehicle. As soon as her feet hit the road, she was running.

She could smell the smoke of the fire, but she could smell something even worse lingering in the air – gasoline. When she reached the van, she slowed, her feet slipping on the greasy liquid pouring out of its underbelly. The sound of breaking glass filled her ears and she looked up to see someone trying to climb out of the window facing the sky. The van was lying on its side, the wheels were still spinning, and the fire was advancing. Jay's head popped out of the window and he pulled himself through. "Are you okay?" Faith asked, looking up at him with relief.

"I'm fine," he replied. A cut adorned his face and his hands were lacerated from punching through the window, but he would live.

"What about everyone else?" Faith asked.

"Not so good," Jay shook his head. "We weren't going very fast, but we hit the ground hard. What's that smell?"

"Gas," Faith acknowledged.

"Shit," Jay said, noticing the fire.

"Can you get anyone out?" Faith asked.

"We don't have time," Jay said. "We have to get away from the van."

"What're you talking about?" Faith questioned.

"That fire's too close. This thing is going to explode," Jay explained as he scrambled out of the window and let himself fall down the side of the van.

"Faith!" The dark haired Slayer heard a voice call. Turning, she saw Buffy trying to squeeze her way through the upturned passenger window.

"Faith," Jay said warningly.

"I'm not leaving her," Faith stated. She ran towards Buffy, skidding to a halt.

"I think I'm stuck," Buffy said. "I couldn't open the door."

"Give me your hands," Faith instructed. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the fire burning closer and brighter. It had almost reached the engine. Buffy slipped her hands into Faith's. The younger girl pulled, inching Buffy out of the window. Finally, Buffy broke free and they both toppled to the ground. "What about your mother?" Faith asked. However, before Buffy could reply, Jay had grabbed them both, pulled them to their feet, and pushed them away from the van.

"What're you doing?" Buffy asked in alarm, but his answer was cut short when a loud explosion ripped through the air. The van lifted off of the ground several feet and then crashed back down into the road. The blast propelled them forward, into the grass, and pieces of flaming debris rained around them.

"Fuck!" Faith yelled as a piece of scorching metal fell onto her back. Rolling, she grabbed Buffy, pulled the older girl to her feet, and dragged her back to where the first van was waiting. Jay followed them, stumbling through the smoke that blanketed the sky.

Buffy grabbed onto the sides of the remaining van and pulled herself inside. Throwing a look at the burning wreckage that had been their other vehicle, she allowed a tear to slip from her eye. "Mom," she whispered. No sooner had she uttered the word than Faith's arms were wrapped around her, holding her close as she cried into the other Slayer's chest. Jay took the seat that Faith had been occupying as Faith and Buffy slid to the ground in the back next to Willow and Tara.

"Keep driving," Jay stated.

"What about," Giles began.

"There's no one left," Jay interrupted. "We can't waste anymore time."

Giles nodded and maneuvered his way carefully around the burning van. As they past, he could hear the screams of those still trapped inside, and still alive, burning. Jay glanced up into the rearview mirror, his jaw setting grimly when he noticed something. "What is it?" Giles asked, his voice tainted with dread.

"We're being followed," Jay said slowly.

"By who?" Faith asked, glancing up at him.

"Zombies. A lot of zombies."


	28. The End of the Road

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! I'm thinking that there will be two more chapters after this one.

Previously:

"There's no one left," Jay interrupted. "We can't waste anymore time."

Giles nodded and maneuvered his way carefully around the burning van. As they past, he could hear the screams of those still trapped inside, and still alive, burning. Jay glanced up into the rearview mirror, his jaw setting grimly when he noticed something. "What is it?" Giles asked, his voice tainted with dread.

"We're being followed," Jay said slowly.

"By who?" Faith asked, glancing up at him.

"Zombies. A lot of zombies."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The End of the Road:

_"Thanks for the ride," Faith mumbled as she stepped out the road and closed the truck door behind her. The truck sped away, leaving her standing in the mist of its exhaust. Faith coughed and covered her nose. She had been hitching rides across the country, always trying to remain two steps ahead of Kakistos, whom she knew was following her even though she had never seen him. Rumors of him traveled with her everywhere she went. Vampires in towns across the country had heard that he was on the move, trying to find the Slayer that had scarred his face and permanently blinded one of his eyes. Though Faith was afraid of him, she was proud that her reputation was preceding her. Vampires were afraid of her. At every town she stopped, the vampires knew her name. She felt like a celebrity._

_"A celebrity on the run," she muttered to herself as she shouldered her bag and started walking. The sun was slowly drifting down the sky towards the edge of the world. Most of the drivers that had picked her up had been kind. Some had talked to her, others had left her alone. She had not cared which they had decided to do, as long as they had transported her as far as they had promised. Some of them, however, had made her skin crawl. The last driver, for instance, had been gazing at her intermittently with a raw lust that he did little, if anything, to hide. Though Faith was not above doing whatever necessary to survive, everything about him disgusted her, from the balloon of his belly hanging over his belt to the thin lines of sweat that beaded and dripped down his forehead._

_Though he had promised to drive her to Main Street, Faith had requested to be dropped off just inside of the Sunnydale city limits. She knew better than to ignore her instincts, especially those that warned her of danger, and every fiber of her being warned her against the man driving the truck. She had not slept much more than a couple of restless hours a night since she had fled from Boston and the exhaustion was starting to take its toll on her. Her bag felt heavy in her hands, even though she possessed Slayer strength. Her feet seemed to drag on the road and she had to will herself to keep walking. An endless highway seemed to stretch out before her, empty and tree lined. But, finally, she began to see the outlines of buildings._

_Before long, she had reached Main Street. The sun was dazzling in her eyes and she spotted some palm trees swaying in the gentle California breeze. She smiled. She had not heard word of Kakistos since she had reached California. Perhaps she had lost him. Whether Kakistos was still pursuing her, she did not care at that moment. She was in California and, somewhere in Sunnydale, her sister Slayer was waiting. She wondered what Buffy Summers was like. She had heard stories of the other Slayer; it seemed as though the girl was infamous. She had even heard rumors that the older girl had used a rocket launcher to dispatch one of her foes. Faith did not know whether she believed the stories or not, but she knew that the thought of meeting her predecessor was intimidating. She wondered if Buffy would be happy to see her, of it the thought of another Slayer would make her jealous and territorial. _

_Faith stood on the sidewalk for several long moments relishing the warmth of the sun and watching people scurrying back and forth across the streets. Sunnydale sat directly on top of a Hellmouth and, supposedly, contained more vampires, demons, and other evil, supernatural creatures than nearly anywhere else on earth; yet, Faith felt nothing but the calm of the afternoon and the promise of a new future. The heaviness of her bag dragging her arm down towards the ground reminded her that she needed to find someplace to stay. She did not know where the other Slayer lived and, though she intended to find her, she did not intend to bunk with her upon first arriving. Perhaps once they had become acquainted they would become friends. But Faith did not like strangers and she did not trust that the freedom that she relished would not be taken away if she moved in with the other Slayer. After all, Buffy's Watcher was probably not like Kate, who allowed Faith to roam the streets after dark even though it was dangerous because she knew how restless Faith could be._

_The dark haired Slayer started walking again and found herself entering a rundown section of Sunnydale that bitterly reminded her of the area in which her mother's apartment had been located in Boston. She smiled though, comfortable in familiar surroundings. Even though her mother had treated her poorly, she still loved her and, sometimes, late at night when she could hear the sirens of ambulances rushing past her window like they had in Boston, she even missed her mother. The older woman had looked at her sometimes, when she was not completely wasted, and Faith could see love twinkling behind her eyes, even if it was only there momentarily._

_Finally, Faith came upon the Sunnydale Motor Inn. The place looked like a dump; the walls needed new paint and the roof seemed to be sagging in at places, but Faith knew that it was all that she could afford. Walking into the front office, she sat her bag down on the floor, and hit the bell on the counter. A portly man, who looked to be in his late twenties, wearing a stained, white, tank top, lumbered out of one of the back rooms wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Can I help you?" He asked. Faith could feel his eyes on her chest and she swallowed down the revulsion lumping up in her throat._

_"I need a room," Faith replied, trying to keep the disgust out of her voice._

_"How old are you, kid?" The man asked, eyeing her suspiciously._

_Faith smiled sweetly, pulled a folded wad of bills out of her pocket, and rested it on the desk. "Does it matter?" She asked._

_The man looked at the money for a moment before smiling. "Welcome to the Sunnydale Motor Inn. One room?"_

_"Please," Faith replied. Once the transaction was complete and Faith had her key in her hand, she grabbed her bag, and walked out of the office. Her room was not difficult to find. Shoving the key into the lock, she opened the door. A moldy, dank smell greeted her and she grimaced. Stepping into the darkened room, she let her bag fall to the floor, and turned on the lights. The bed was spacious, though she wondered about some of the stains on the comforter. A small bathroom was to her left and to her right sat a bureau and a small television. A mirror hung above the bureau and a window was directly in front of her. Stepping further into the room, she closed the door. She was home._

……………………………

"Are you okay?" Faith asked softly after Buffy's sobs had quieted and she had stopped trembling. She heard the blonde Slayer sniffle and, finally, she raised her red and puffy eyes to look at Faith.

"My mom…," she started.

"I know," Faith sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Buffy replied, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. "It's gonna be okay," Faith said reassuringly, running her hand soothingly through the older girl's hair.

"At least she's not one of them," Buffy muttered, nodding her head towards the back of the van. Faith sighed and shifted her eyes to the rearview mirror, where she could see a horde of zombies trailing after them. Somehow, they were managing to keep up with the van. Her eyes met Jay's and she smiled. He smiled back, but she could see worry behind his eyes.

"Yeah," Faith said absently.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked softly, capturing Faith's attention again.

"What?" Faith asked, looking over at her confusedly.

"Your back," Buffy stated.

"What about it?" Faith asked again.

Buffy reached her fingers around Faith's back and pressed down gently on the tender flesh that had been burned after the second van exploded and sent a hail of flaming rubble down upon them. Faith winced, breathing in sharply. "I'm sorry," Buffy said apologetically.

"It's okay," Faith said dismissively. "When did that happen?" She asked, reaching around to inspect the wound with her own fingers.

"When the van exploded," Buffy replied. "You don't remember?"

Faith smiled lopsidedly, "I had other things on my mind."

"Like what?" Buffy questioned.

"Like keeping my girl safe," Faith said.

"Faith?" Jay asked, looking back at her suddenly.

Faith forcibly shifted her gaze from the blonde woman sitting next to her to the soldier sitting in the front seat of the van. "What is it?" She asked tiredly.

"We're coming up on something," he said, nervously shifting his glance back out of the front window. "I think you should see it."

Faith quickly rose to her feet to join Giles and Jay in the front of the van. "Have we reached the highway?" She asked hopefully.

"We're a half of a mile into it," Giles replied. "Look ahead."

Faith looked out of the window, gasping slightly. "Is this good or bad?" She asked, looking over at Jay.

"I think it's good," he answered uncertainly.

Lying directly in front of their path, stretching across the entire highway and running perpetually through the countryside was a chain linked fence that rose formidably out of the ground. Faith thought that she saw another quite some distance behind it, shimmering and small. "What does this mean?" She asked.

"It means that someone's trying to keep the zombies in Sunnydale," Giles answered grimly.

"Or keep anyone still alive from leaving," Jay added.

"We've been quarantined," Faith stated, suddenly realizing that they no longer had to question what was happening in the outside world. The outside world was fine. They had been the only ones with the problem. Faith suddenly found herself growing angry. Whoever had quarantined them knew that they were trapping innocent people inside of Sunnydale with ravenous zombies.

"The Initiative?" Giles asked, looking over at Jay.

The soldier shrugged. "Possibly. But I think this is bigger than the Initiative. The Army itself may have set this up."

Giles pulled the van as close as he could to the fence and then slowed to a halt. "What's going on?" Buffy asked from her place in the back of the van. The rest of the people started murmuring confusedly.

"End of the road," Faith muttered.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked in confusion.

"This is where we get off," Faith said, smiling back at her, though she only smiled to cover the apprehension that she felt. Images of her dreams suddenly came back to her, assaulting her waking eyes. Fire and smoke. The moaning of the zombies. She remembered dreaming of landing on the other side of a fence, her back hitting the hard concrete of the road. The sky had been blue above her. She shifted her eyes back out of the window and glanced at the clear blue sky. She could hear the moaning of the zombies as they neared, speeding up as they realized that their prey had stopped. She remembered seeing Buffy standing on the other side of the fence with blood running down her arm. There was a gun and a shot. Then she had been running.

"What do we do?" Giles asked, pulling Faith from her thoughts.

"Get everyone off the vans. We need to be over that fence before the zombies reach us," Faith instructed.

"I don't know if it's going to be that easy," Jay interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Faith asked.

"If the Army set up this fence, they did it with the intent to keep the zombies from leaving Sunnydale. A simple fence wouldn't do that, not if the zombies got hungry enough."

"What're you trying to say?" Giles asked, eyeing the fence warily.

"If they don't have snipers sitting somewhere waiting to pick off any zombie that tries to climb over it, then they've got landmines set up on the other side to blow up any zombie that does," Jay explained.

"Mines?" Faith asked, her heart dropping in her chest.

"Quite possibly," Jay nodded.

"Fuck me," Faith muttered, rubbing her forehead.

"Faith," Giles said.

"What?" The dark Slayer replied.

"We need to figure out what do to right now," the Watcher stated. "Those zombies are getting close."

"Buffy," Faith said, turning back to her girlfriend. "Grab a gun. Start picking off the zombies."

"Okay," Buffy nodded, grabbing a gun and some ammunition. Throwing open the back doors of the van, she dropped to the ground and walked several feet away. Faith watched her until she started shooting and then turned back to Giles.

"I'll be with her. You two, get everyone over that fence. I don't care if there are mines. I'd rather be on that side than on this one."


	29. To the end, we'll see each other again

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! This is the second to last chapter. An epilogue will follow, hopefully this week, but most likely next week. There will be a sequel following the completion of the story. And remember, not everything is what it seems.

Previously:

"Get everyone off the vans. We need to be over that fence before the zombies reach us," Faith instructed.

"I don't know if it's going to be that easy," Jay interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Faith asked.

"If the Army set up this fence, they did it with the intent to keep the zombies from leaving Sunnydale. A simple fence wouldn't do that, not if the zombies got hungry enough."

"What're you trying to say?" Giles asked, eyeing the fence warily.

"If they don't have snipers sitting somewhere waiting to pick off any zombie that tries to climb over it, then they've got landmines set up on the other side to blow up any zombie that does," Jay explained.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: To the Very End and We'll See Each Other Again:

_Faith entered a club called 'The Bronze,' with her usual sauntering confidence exuding from her like a pungent perfume. Music was pumping through the speakers and she found her body instantly reacting. She desperately wanted to dance. Scanning the crowd, she quickly located the bar and moved over to it. The thumping bass drum in the song pounded into her chest and she found herself smiling wildly. She had always loved clubs and had always loved dancing, but she had discovered during her time on the run from Kakistos that she loved both even more now that she had nothing left to lose. She enjoyed the feeling of losing control to the music and her muscles enjoyed the extra workout. _

_Sliding a couple of crumpled bills across the sticky bar, she smiled at the bartender, and ordered a shot of Jack Daniels. After a moment's hesitation, the bartender smiled back and accepted the money. "You're old enough, right?" He asked, though Faith got the distinct impression that he did not care how old she was._

_"Of course," she answered, shifting her attention to the dance floor as he poured her drink. A crowd of danced in the center of the club. Faith could smell their sweat and arousal with her heightened senses. She also could sense numerous vampires in the club. She located the ones on the first floor with ease, allowing her eyes a moment to scan the second floor as well._

_"Here's your drink," the bartender said, interrupting her thoughts. She smiled seductively at him and grabbed the glass. Placing it to her lips, she tipped it back, and let the amber liquid slide into her mouth. It burned the inside of her throat, but she relished the taste, and the pleasant, warm feeling it produced in her body. Her fingertips tingled with excitement. She had discovered that with her Slayer metabolism it nearly was impossible for her to drink enough to inebriate herself. She smiled wolfishly, however, and thought, that doesn't mean I can't try. _

_"Thanks," she said dismissively to the bartender and slammed the glass back down on the bar. "I needed that." Moving away, she entered the dance floor. The temperature in the club seemed to rise at least twenty degrees in the throng of people and she found that tiny beads of sweat were starting to drip down her back. As she moved her body to the music, a group of guys surrounded her, dancing against her. Though she preferred women to men, she found that either sex was capable enough to give her what she wanted. _

_She could feel her own arousal building as someone started grinding into her, but she soon realized that her Slayer senses were screaming alarm bells in her mind. A vampire was close. A cold dread instantly sobered her from the intoxication of the music when she realized that the man grinding against her was the vampire. Turning, she smiled flirtatiously and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. He looked like he had walked out of a disco in the '70s and had never made it home. She wondered how often he used the club to prey on young women. She also wondered where the other Slayer was; surely she realized that the club was a perfect feeding ground for vampires. If Faith had been the Slayer in this town, she would have patrolled the club every night. _

_"Wanna go somewhere more private?" The guy asked, whispering in her ear. _

_Faith repressed a shiver. "Lead the way," she replied huskily. The vampire grabbed her hand with his cold palm and led her through the crowd of dancers. As Faith let herself be dragged away, a strange feeling came upon her in the form of a low humming in her mind. It was not the same as the warning of her Slayer senses, but it felt similar somehow. Shaking the feeling away, Faith walked outside with the vampire. The cool air hit her face and the effects of the club all but washed away from her mind. She was ready._

_"Where are we going?" She asked innocently._

_"Just back here, baby," the vampire said, pointing to the alley next to the door. "I just want to get to know you better is all." Faith played her part and walked into the darkened alley with the vampire, letting him position himself in front of her as he backed her into a chain link fence. When his face morphed into the visage of his inner demon, she smiled. She nearly laughed at the confused look on his face. She imagined that most, if not all, of the girls that he brought out to the alley screamed in fear at the sight. Faith, however, was not most girls._

_"Sorry," she said unapologetically. "But I'm not who you think I am."_

_"Who are you then?" The vampire asked, backing away slightly._

_"The Slayer," Faith snarled._

_"But you're not her," the vampire stated confusedly. "She's…"_

_"Blonde?" Faith asked, smirking. "Unfortunately for you, there's two of us." Lashing her fist out, she caught the vampire in the face. He stumbled backwards, but quickly recovered. Grabbing her, he twisted her around, intending to crush the life out of her. Faith felt his arms pressing into her sides and grimaced. Her ribs had not entirely healed yet. The door of the Bronze flew open as she saw a group of people dash out into the night. Hearing the sounds of struggle in the alley, they started into the darkness. Faith smirked when she saw a short, blonde girl leading them, holding a stake in her hand. Snapping her head back into the vampire's face, Faith strode forward. The vampire stumbled backwards, holding his broken nose._

_"It's okay, I got it. You're, uh, Buffy, right," Faith asked jovially. "I'm Faith." The vampire came up behind her again, but Faith turned and slammed her fist into his midsection. He doubled over and she lifted her knee up into his chest. "Can I borrow that?" She asked, grabbing the stake from Buffy's hand before the other Slayer could answer. As the vampire charged at her again, she slammed the stake into his heart. He stopped, his eyes wide with surprise, and he burst into a cloud of dust. Faith turned back to the other Slayer and eyed her for a moment. She was cute. "Thanks, B," she said, noticing the flabbergasted look on Buffy's face at her new nickname, "I couldn't have done it without you." Faith walked past her, noticing that the older girl's eyes followed her closely, resting on her ass. Faith smirked. Sunnydale was going to be more fun than it had seemed._

………………………………….

"Up and over you go," Giles said, helping one of the woman survivors over the fence. "Watch your step."

"Watch the ground closely," Jay instructed. "The mines will look like mounds. Anything that's not flat, avoid." Jay stared intently through the fence at the second fence shimmering in the distance. He thought that he could see guard towers built into it every couple of dozen yards. He wondered if there were soldiers manning them now, watching them trying to climb the fence through the lenses of sniper rifles. He shivered, wondering of they would know that they were humans, not zombies. The woman climbed over the top of the fence and started to descend.

"Tara?" Giles asked, turning back to the blonde girl. "Are you ready?"

"Y-yes," Tara said, nodding. Willow gripped her hand tightly and pulled her close for a quick kiss.

Against her lips, she whispered, "I'll be right behind you, okay?"

Tara nodded again and stepped forward. Wiping the nervous sweat from her palms onto her jeans, she gripped the fence, and started climbing. The other woman dropped to the ground on the other side and moved over to a group of people that had already completed the climb. "You're alright. Just don't wander too far," Jay shouted to them.

"I think I see one of the mines," the woman said. "Right there." She pointed to a circular, raised mound on the road and Jay nodded.

"That's what you want to avoid," he stated.

Tara dropped to the ground on the other side of the fence and Willow started climbing. "Jay!" Faith yelled from where she was standing behind the van. "How's it going?"

Jay watched Faith run over to them. Sweat was running down the sides of her face and her hands were blackened and burned from hot gunpowder. "One more civilian, then Giles, you, Buffy, and me," Jay replied.

"Okay," Faith nodded. "Hurry it up. The zombies are closer. Once Giles is over, shout to us."

Buffy watched Faith run over to where Jay was standing. The zombies were close, too close. Shifting her attention to the horde of zombies running towards her, she aimed her gun, and squeezed the trigger. A dead woman in a business suit fell to the ground as her head exploded. Buffy was about to shoot again when a sound to her right caught her attention. Turning, she saw a teenage boy rushing at her. One of his arms flapped uselessly against his chest, ripped to ribbons below the elbow. A sinking feeling caused her heart to turn cold in her chest when she realized that she would be unable to swing her gun around to her new attacker in time to stop him.

He slammed into her, knocking her to the ground. Her head snapped back into the concrete of the road and stars exploded in front of her eyes. She managed to maintain her grip on her gun, however. A sudden pain flashed through her and she repressed the urge to scream. Looking down, she stopped breathing. The zombie was latched onto her arm. Blood was pouring out of the wound. White, hot pain propelled her to action and she lifted the gun, slamming it into the back of the boy's head. He fell off of her, giving Buffy the time she needed to aim and shot. The boy's head exploded in a thousand tiny, bloody pieces, which rained down on her like a summer downpour. Grimacing, she wiped the blood away from her face and pulled herself into a sitting position. Cradling her injured arm, she watched as the blood seeped out of the wound, running down her forearm, and dripping from her fingers onto the ground.

"Fuck," she muttered. A bitter sense of loss filled her as she realized that she was infected. Looking up, she saw that the horde of zombies was still running at her. Anger filled her heart as she pulled herself to her feet, tightened her grip on her gun, raised it, and started shooting.

She did not notice when Faith joined her, firing measured, controlled shots at the zombies. "Everyone's almost over," the dark haired Slayer announced. "It's almost time to go."

"Okay," Buffy said absently as she reloaded her gun with her last cartridge of ammunition. She continued shooting until she heard Faith telling her to stop.

"Come on," Faith said, grabbing her clean hand, and pulling her around the van. Buffy looked down at her gun, realizing that she had only one bullet left. She laughed bitterly, knowing what that meant.

Faith reached the fence first. Tucking her gun into the waistband of her jeans, she grabbed the fence, and started climbing. She did not realize until her feet hit the ground on the other side that Buffy had not followed her. She stood on the other side of the fence, gazing up into the clear, blue sky for a moment before she realized that she could smell the smoke of the second g van still burning being carried through the wind. She could see the fire raging out of control. Her eyes fell on Buffy, who was staring at her numbly through the fence, gripping the metal rings with her hands, and she noticed the blood running down the blonde Slayer's arm.

"Buffy?" She asked confusedly.

"You have to go," Buffy stated.

"What happened?" Faith stepped forward.

"It's too late," Buffy smiled sadly. "You have to go."

"I can't leave you here," Faith replied, panic filling her heart. They had come so far. She had saved them. But none of it meant anything if Buffy was not with them.

"I love you," Buffy whispered, her voice anguished and pained.

"Don't say that," Faith shook her head, wiping angry tears from her face. She could feel someone walking up behind her, but she ignored the person's presence.

"I love you, Faith. Don't ever forget that, okay?"

"Stop saying good-bye!" Faith yelled furiously.

"This is good-bye," Buffy reminded her gently.

"I can't live without you, B," Faith said pleadingly, allowing the tears to run freely down her face. She moved forward to touch Buffy's hand, but someone pulled her back.

"We have to go," a voice whispered in her ear. She recognized it as Giles'.

"Get her out of here," Buffy instructed, nodding a good-bye to her Watcher. Giles smiled sadly.

"We'll see each other again," he promised and pulled Faith away. Faith let him push her along. Turning her head one last time, she saw Buffy standing by the fence with her gun in her hand and a horde of zombies closing in on her. Then she ran. She ran the anger out of her body, letting the rage dissipate through her legs. Her tears dried against her face. She ran until she felt nothing and then she heard the gunshot. It was over.


	30. A New Beginning

Animatus

Notes: Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming. Sorry I had to do that to you guys, but I have a plan and I'm sticking to it. This is the final chapter. Hopefully I will be able to post the first chapters of the sequel next week. We'll see. I'm having a medical procedure done, so I may not quite be up to it until Tuesday or Wednesday. Anyway, thanks so much for reading. I really appreciate it. I hope everyone enjoyed the story.

Previously:

"We have to go," a voice whispered in her ear. She recognized it as Giles'.

"Get her out of here," Buffy instructed, nodding a good-bye to her Watcher. Giles smiled sadly.

"We'll see each other again," he promised and pulled Faith away. Faith let him push her along. Turning her head one last time, she saw Buffy standing by the fence with her gun in her hand and a horde of zombies closing in on her. Then she ran. She ran the anger out of her body, letting the rage dissipate through her legs. Her tears dried against her face. She ran until she felt nothing and then she heard the gunshot. It was over.

Epilogue: A New Beginning:

_Faith stood at the window of her new apartment, looking out over the city of Sunnydale. The sun had sunk below the horizon some hours before, dying in a splendor of red and orange. The light had faded and the sky had turned black. The darkness was so deep that Faith felt like she was losing herself in it. The moon was a sliver in the sky, covered partly by murky green clouds. The lights of the city sparkled. The sight should have warmed her heart, but she felt nothing but an empty chill in her very soul. Turning from the window, she looked around at the apartment that the Mayor had given her. Everything inside of it was brand new. The place felt sterile, but she hoped that after she had lived in it for a while, it would start to feel like home._

_She wondered that it did not. When she had first arrived in Sunnydale, her motel room had felt like home to her. Her Watcher's house in Boston had felt like home and even her mother's apartment had felt like home. But the beautiful apartment in which she stood felt like an empty shell. She had been enthusiastic for the Mayor. He had given her everything that she had ever wanted – a spacious apartment filled with every amenity for which she could ask. In his own way, Faith believed that Richard Wilkins even loved her like a daughter. She was happy to know that someone cared so deeply about her, even if it was the wrong person. She sighed, turning back to the window._

_She wondered what her Watcher would think of her now. Kate always had believed that Faith would become some great warrior of light to be remembered by the forces of darkness as someone to fear even long after her death. Yet, her life seemed to be spinning out of control. In a way, she thought that her fate had been sealed the night that Kate had died. Even though she had fled from Boston with the intention of continuing her fight against evil, a part of her had given up. Something had numbed inside of her. When she had seen Buffy for the first time, she started to feel something again, even though she had not understood it at first. But everything had spun so totally out of control; Faith did not believe that it was possible for her to fix anything now._

_A single tear slowly escaped from her eye and slipped down her cheek. She had become a monster. The worst part of it all was that she knew that she was wrong. Even though she acted like she was enjoying her turn on the dark side, even though she smiled and joked and killed and lived, she knew that she was wrong. But she could not stop. She had lost herself in rage and jealousy and love. The thought of her love for Buffy burned her deeply. Her heart ached day and night, a blazing pain that consumed her. But no matter what she did, she could not make it stop. Sometimes she just wanted to forget. She thought about shoving all of her clothes into a bag and leaving. She could slip out into the night and no one would ever see her again. _

_But she could not leave. Even though she hated Buffy for not loving her in the same way that she loved the blonde Slayer, she had to be around her. Even if only as an enemy, she had to be a part of her life. A low humming suddenly entered her mind and Faith realized that Buffy was coming. She remembered the first time she had felt that low humming in her mind. She had been dancing with a vampire in the Bronze and she had felt it. Later, she realized that she felt it whenever Buffy was around and, if she tried, she could feel it even when Buffy was far away. That first night, however, the feeling had been soft and friendly. Now, however, it pounded in her mind like a fist; a clear warning that danger was coming. She had shot Angel with a poisoned arrow. She knew what was happening. Buffy was coming to kill her. Faith smiled. Maybe death would be better than the life she was living, but she was not going to make it easy on her sister Slayer. She had too much fire left in her._

………………………………

_"I love you, Faith. Don't ever forget that, okay?"_ Buffy's words echoed through Faith's ears as she ran. The group of survivors ran in front of her. Her feet pounded into the ground. She almost hoped that she would step onto one of the landmines. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to feel such an intense pain that would drive everything else out of her heart – that would make her forget that her lover stood on the other side of the fence separating death from the rest of the world. But she knew that was not true either. She had heard a gunshot as she ran. A single shot that rang clearly through the bright, California afternoon. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and the ground was covered with blood. Faith could not feel her connection to Buffy anymore and she knew what that gunshot had signified.

Silent tears of anger streamed down her face as she ran. The one thing in the world that she had wanted she had gotten – Buffy had fallen in love with her. But that thing had been ripped away from her before she really got a chance to experience it. All that remained was a dull, throbbing pain in her chest where her love for Buffy had been. Suddenly, she became aware that people were slowing down and stopping. Then she heard it. A bang resounded through the air so loud that she winced. "Stop!" She heard a commanding voice yell.

The group slowed to a halt. Faith looked ahead of her and saw, for the first time, the second fence standing a few yards ahead of them. She wanted to look back at the distance that she had traveled, but she dared not. She knew that the sight of her lover's dead body lying in a crumpled heap by the fence would destroy her. "What's going on?" She whispered over to Jay, her voice rough and raw.

The soldier looked back at her with sympathetic eyes. "There are soldiers in the guard towers," he said, nodding discreetly to the towers built into the fence. They dotted the fence every dozen or so yards. Faith could see guns pointed at them from every direction. "They're here in case some zombies get over the fence and don't manage to blow themselves up."

"Like us?" Faith asked dryly.

"We knew that there were mines. We also have the reasoning capability to maneuver around them. Theoretically, the zombies wouldn't. I think they know that we're human," Jay replied hopefully.

"Only one way to find out," Faith stated. "Hey!" She yelled, staring up into the closest watchtower. "It's okay. We're not infected. You can check us out if you want. Just let us pass through."

Silence greeted them. Faith could hear the moaning of the zombies on the other side of the first fence drifting through the breeze. A soldier suddenly appeared on a landing around the watchtower. He quickly descended the stairs and moved over to a gate in the fence. "You have weapons?" He asked as he unlocked the gate.

"Yeah," Faith replied.

"Move forward single file and put them on the ground beside the fence when you enter," he instructed.

Faith nodded to the anxious group of people and they began moving forward. "Do you think we can trust them?" Faith asked Jay as he fell in line in front of her.

"I don't think we have a choice," Jay said. "I know one thing though. They're not from the Initiative. Their uniforms are different."

"That's a good thing," Faith muttered. When she reached the gate, she bent over, and placed her gun on the ground. She felt empty without it. She had grown accustomed to the feeling of its grip in her hand.

"Please step through," the soldier said when she hesitated.

Nodding, Faith moved through the opening. The soldier slammed the gate shut behind them and locked it again. "What's going on?" Faith asked.

"This is a guard outpost," the soldier replied. "The city of Sunnydale has been quarantined due to a viral outbreak."

"Spare us the bullshit, okay?" Jay said. "We were in there. We know what it's been contaminated with."

The soldier smiled wryly. "We have to make sure that you're not infected before you're free to enter the outside world."

"Fine," Faith said. Dimly, she saw two Jeeps appear on the horizon.

"There's a base set up a couple of miles from here," the soldier explained. "They'll take you there to test you."

"So it really was a virus," Giles stated.

"Yes, sir," the soldier answered. "There was a secret ops base located underneath the city."

"The Initiative," Jay stated. "I worked down there."

"I'm not at liberty to say," the soldier continued, but smiled knowingly. "They were testing biological weapons there. Apparently, there was an accident and someone got infected with one of the viruses that they were testing."

"Turned everyone into zombies?" Willow asked.

"Something like that," the soldier answered.

"A simple blood test is all that's needed to determine if you've been infected," the soldier explained. "They'll want to keep you over night. But tomorrow you'll be free to go."

"Thanks," Faith muttered. The Jeeps sped closer and stopped just beside them, kicking up dust. Several soldiers climbed out of them and began ushering the group towards them.

"So it was contained?" Giles asked as a soldier loaded him into Jeep.

"Yes," the first soldier answered. "Sunnydale was the only city impacted."

"I'll be damned," Giles muttered as he took a seat in the back of the Jeep. Faith sat down next to him. Once everyone was loaded into the Jeeps, they started moving again, carrying the passengers back to the base. Faith watched the countryside speed past her. She had run all of the anger and rage out of her system. She was surprised to find that she felt absolutely nothing. She was completely numb.

"So what do we do now?" Jay asked from his seat across from her.

Faith shrugged. "The world's out there waiting," she replied. "I guess we ought to go live in it." Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the window of the Jeep. Behind her eyelids, she could see Buffy's face smiling at her. But the image faded until all that she could see was a darkness that seeped into her very soul. The world meant nothing to her anymore. _"I love you, Faith. Don't ever forget that, okay?" _She knew that she never would, even if that was all that she wanted to do. Eight months ago she had realized that being Buffy's enemy was better than not being in her life at all. She had never thought that she would out live her sister Slayer. But she had and the world was hers to protect now. She had been given her second chance, she just did not know if she wanted it.

"Faith?" Giles asked.

"Yeah?" Faith replied, looking over at him.

"We'll get through this," he said, taking her hand in his own and squeezing it reassuringly.

Faith smiled. "I know," she lied. Looking back out of the window, she sighed. "I know."


End file.
